Toms River Holding Free Rabies Clinic For 2019

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The Toms River Animal Facility will be holding a free rabies clinic on Saturday, Jan. 19, for pet owners who need to get their animals vaccinated before they are licensed.

The clinic will be from 10 a.m. to noon at the facility at 235 Oak Ave., next to the police department.

Written proof of a prior rabies vaccination shot is required to make the new shot good for three years. There will be no adjustments made to rabies shot certificates once the clinic is over.

Dog licenses in Toms River must be renewed in January. All dogs over 7 months old must be licensed each year under state law.

A rabies shot certificate with an expiration date after Nov. 1, 2019 is needed.

The cost is $15 for a spayed/neutered dog and $20 if not spayed or neutered. Proof of spay/neuter may be required.

Licenses renewed after Jan. 31 will be charged a late fee of $5 in addition to the license fee. In March, the late fee increases to $10 plus the cost of the license. Late fees are set by town ordinance and cannot be waived.

All pet licenses can be renewed in person at the Toms River Health Department, 33 Washington St., or by mail. Please visit our website, www.tomsrivertownship.com or call (732) 341-1000 extension 8408.

• Licensed dogs are vaccinated against rabies and those with current license tags on their collars are considered generally protected from the disease.
• A licensed dog that wanders off the owner's property or gets lost can be traced and quickly returned to its owner by animal control officers.
• Dog licensing is mandatory in all New Jersey municipalities and the licensing fee is much less than the fines and penalties for having unlicensed dogs.
• License fees support animal control, animal sheltering and rabies control activities within the township.

Photo by Karen Wall, Patch staff