Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter to Offer Free Rabies Vaccinations

Nassau County is offering all residents free rabies vaccinations for their dogs, cats and ferrets following the news of a rabid raccoon that was recently found in Hicksville.

The Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter and the North Hempstead Animal Shelter have partnered with Nassau County to offer the vaccination clinics in April and May.

“This continued partnership provides an excellent opportunity for pet owners to protect their animal against rabies,” County Executive Ed Mangano said in a press release. “I urge all Nassau County pet owners to take advantage of these vaccination clinics.”

All dogs must be on leashes and cats and ferrets must be in enclosed carriers.

The clinics will be held:

Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter

• Located at 150 Miller Place in Syosset
• Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• For additional information on this clinic, call (516) 677-5784

Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter

• Located at 75 Marino Ave. in Port Washington
• Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• For additional information on this clinic, call (516) 869-6311

“With the recent finding of a rabid raccoon in Hicksville, this vaccination opportunity serves as a reminder of the importance of ensuring that pets are vaccinated against rabies,” Health Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein said. “Rabies vaccination ensures the safety of your pets and also helps protect you and your family.”

All dogs, cats and domesticated ferrets are required by NYS law to be vaccinated against rabies. It is imperative to have your pet up-to-date on its vaccinations. If a pet is not vaccinated or overdue for its vaccination and comes in contact with a possibly rabid animal, the pet must be euthanized or strictly quarantined for six months. But if a vaccinated pet comes into contact with a wild animal that possibly has rabies, it only needs a booster vaccination within five days of exposure.

For additional information on raccoon rabies and how to prevent exposure to the virus, go here.