Onondaga County Health Department is nationally accredited and meets rigorous public health standards necessary to best serve the needs of our community.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to COVID-19, our regular rabies shot clinics were cancelled. Safe and socially-distanced drive-thru clinics are announced here as they are planned. Veterinarian offices and some local pet supply stores can also provide the shot, call ahead for more information.
Provides services in the following areas:
Rabies shot clinics for dogs, ferrets, and cats.
Animal bite follow-up to ensure people with animal contact have proper follow-up through confinement and examination of animals or testing of specimens for rabies
Enforcement of rabies vaccination law
Education of the public and agencies on rabies prevention and animal disease prevention
Rabies Shot Clinics
New York State Public Health Law requires that all puppies and kittens get their first rabies shot at three months of age, a booster shot at one year old, and then again every three years. Ferrets must get a shot every year.
Rabies Testing of Animals in Onondaga County*
Animal:
2018
2019
2020 to Date
# Positive
# Tested
# Positive
# Tested
# Positive
Bat
12
285
7
233
3
Cat
0
58
2
64
1
Dog
0
41
0
81
0
Skunk
1
4
1
3
2
Woodchuck
0
2
0
1
0
Raccoon
1
8
1
4
5
Fox
1
3
1
1
1
Other
0
9
0
11
0
Total
15
410
12
398
12
*There were no reported human cases of rabies in Onondaga County during this time period.
Animal Bites
Health Care Providers
All animal bites involving a person must be reported to the Health Department within 72 hours using our online form or download a printable form.
