Animal Shelter Statistics - 10-2008

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Animal Services Monthly Report October, 2008 7 Our own public education activities stress that pet owners not only need to be sure that their pets are vaccinated and licensed but that a dog or cat with a current rabies vaccination must receive a booster shot within seventy-two (72) hours of any exposure to rabies. Unless an exposed pet with a current vaccination receives a booster shot within that time frame, the requirements of North Carolina law is the same as for an unvaccinated animal—namely, euthanasia or a six (6) month quarantine. In this regard, staff stresses the immediate reporting of any possible contact to animal control and/or public health authorities to ensure the health of all members of a household—human and pet alike. As can also be seen from the table on rabies exposures, Animal Control Officers investigated thirteen (13) cases in which there were possible rabies exposures. Usually, these are cases involving known or suspected contact between a domestic small animal such as a dog or a cat and a wild animal such as a raccoon, as well as whether there is indirect contact between a human and pet member of a household in these situations. But our Animal Control Officers are also responsible for bite reports involving dogs and cats (as well as other animals) and a human victim. In these cases, it is a legal requirement and public health precaution that a dog or cat biting a human being be contained and observed for a period of ten (10) days—thereby ensuring that the bite victim was not exposed to the rabies virus. Efforts to ensure current vaccination, for the welfare of pets and the people with whom they come into contact, are ongoing and activities in this area are captured by vaccination statistics compiled by our Animal Control Division. As is ordinarily the case, the majority of these vaccinations—1191out of a total of 1389 vaccinations—continue to be performed at veterinary establishments. In addition, another ninety-four (94) animals were vaccinated at our Animal Shelter prior to their adoption or recovery. Two low-cost rabies vaccination clinics were held in October at which a total of one hundred and four (104) cats and dogs were vaccinated (as can be seen in table C.4 Year to Date Rabies Vaccination Clinic Numbers). To date 1159 animals have been vaccinated at nineteen 2008 clinics. Seventeen total clinics were held during 2007—and 1157 dogs and cats were vaccinated as a result. Details and further information about upcoming low-cost rabies vaccination clinics will become available at http://www.co.orange.nc.us/animalservices.rabies.asp. All of these activities—public education and outreach, investigations and enforcement, and providing low-cost vaccination clinics—are critical given that Orange County continues to be affected by the epidemic of “eastern raccoon rabies” that began in the latter half of the 1990s. Their essential nature is further underscored by the current view that we are on the upside of a raccoon rabies cycle that may bring even higher numbers of confirmed rabies cases than we have seen in recent years.