Low Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinics in Hamilton County

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Hamilton County Health Department is helping all pet owners to get their animals vaccinated for rabies.

This year’s low-cost rabies clinics will be available at almost 60 locations around Hamilton County through next Saturday.

The price is $12 per pet.

Rabies vaccinations are required by law for all dogs and cats.

“Vaccinating our pets is the most important buffer between humans and the wild animal population where the rabies virus mostly lives,” explains Health Department Director of Environmental Health Services Bonnie Deakins, “The rabies vaccine is not just protecting your pet, it’s protecting public health.”

Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the nervous system. The usual mode of rabies transmission is by the introduction of saliva containing the rabies virus into a bite wound. Any mammal, especially raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, dogs, and cats, can get and transmit rabies. Once the infected person or animal shows symptoms the disease is 100% fatal.

They say the local concern was the rabies-positive raccoon recovered in an East Ridge neighborhood in December 2017.

They believe this case illustrates not only how close rabies is, but also how important it is to keep your pet’s vaccination up to date.

Last year across the state, 36 animals tested positive for the virus, mostly skunks and bats.

In 2017, the Health Department investigated 706 cases of animals biting humans in Hamilton County.

Last year, these clinics delivered 2,474 vaccines.

This year’s rabies clinics are scheduled for the following dates. All clinics are from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.:

• Friday, April 20
• Saturday, April 21
• Wednesday, April 25
• Thursday, April 26 (Special Cat Only Clinics)
• Friday, April 27
• Saturday, April 28

For more information about clinic locations, please visit the Health Department’s website for the detailed scheduled or call the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department’s Environmental Health Services at (423) 209-8110.

To report stray, injured, abused, or neglected animals, contact the animal services in your jurisdiction. The Health Department does not provide animal removal services. All animal exposures (bites, scratches, open wounds) are required to be reported as soon as possible to the Health Department at (423) 209-8110.

Partners this year include the Hamilton County Veterinary Medical Association, the Humane Educational Society, McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center, and the East Ridge Animal Control.