Veterinarians across Simcoe County are teaming up to offer low-cost rabies vaccination clinics for dogs and cats, aged three months and older.
Rabies, a preventable but potentially fatal disease, can spread through the bite or scratch of an infected animal and poses risks to both pets and people.
The first clinic takes place Saturday, September 20th in Midland, with additional clinics running in Barrie, Bracebridge, Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Penetanguishene, Severn, and Tottenham through October 25th. A full schedule is available here.
Health officials note the importance of vaccination, especially after Ontario reported its first domestically acquired human rabies case in more than 50 years in 2024. While rare, rabies is still present in bats and wild animals like raccoons, foxes, and skunks, and unvaccinated pets remain at risk.
Pet owners attending clinics are encouraged to bring previous vaccination records, as both one- and three-year vaccines are available depending on an animal’s status. If you can’t attend a clinic, contact your veterinarian to arrange a vaccination appointment.
Anyone bitten or scratched by an animal, or who comes into direct contact with a bat, should seek immediate medical attention and report the incident to public health. In 2024, inspectors investigated 1,804 possible rabies exposures in Simcoe Muskoka – over half involving unvaccinated pets.
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