HALL COUNTY, Ga. – The Hall County Animal Shelter is offering low-cost rabies vaccinations for $10 per pet. Georgia law requires domestic pets to be kept current on their rabies vaccinations. According to public health guidelines, maintaining up-to-date shots is a primary method for preventing the spread of the virus within local communities. The shelter provides a one-year rabies vaccine for pets receiving their first shot or for those that are not currently up to date. Alternatively, pets may qualify for a three-year vaccine if they are already current on their shots and the appointment is completed before their existing vaccine expires. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has collected data for the confirmed animal rabies cases in the United States between 2019 and 2023. Georgia had a total of 904 confirmed cases between the span of those four years. While the CDC has stated, rabies is rare, it is still a serious public health concern, with 1.4 million Americans each year receiving health care for possible rabies exposure. Currently, more than 90% of confirmed rabies cases happen in wildlife like bats, foxes, skunks and raccoons and less in domesticated animals. The CDC adds that a decrease in human deaths from rabies is related to pet vaccinations. Local government officials ask that all pet owners ensure their pets are current on their rabies vaccinations. Any unvaccinated pets that are exposed to a rabid animal will have to strictly quarantined for four months…
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