Dogs and cats are excellent companion animals as well as friends and helpers. However, dogs, cats and other mammals can transmit diseases to humans, especially if they are "outdoor" pets allowed to spend any amount of time outside unattended by their owners. Most states, including Ohio, have laws requiring some vaccination or licensing of animals in order to ensure that if they do come into contact with diseases, they will not spread them to humans or other domestic animals.
Rabies
According to Ohio law, there are no requirements that dogs be vaccinated against rabies in order to be licensed properly. However, state law allows local counties and cities to make their own ordinances requiring rabies vaccinations, and many have done so. Some municipalities in Ohio even require that cats be vaccinated for rabies as well and that all licensed animals who have been properly vaccinated display a collar tag so that it can be determined quickly whether they have been vaccinated if someone is bitten or injured.
Record Keeping
If your pet has been vaccinated or is required by local law to be vaccinated, you are required to maintain not only the collar tag, but also records of the relevant rabies vaccinations as well as a rabies vaccination certificate, which can be provided to animal control officers or the local health department as needed. This proof will be required if your animal is ever bitten by a wild animal or if your pet bites a person. Rabies vaccinations are required at 3 months of age, with a booster shot after one year, then another every three years after that.
Quarantine
If your pet has bitten another person, you can be required by law to keep your animal quarantined for a period of up to six months. If the animal dies during this period, the local health department will require you to submit the animal's head for rabies testing. If the animal does not die, you will be required to have the animal vaccinated at the end of the quarantine period and then provide proof of vaccination to the local health department and animal control authorities at that time.
Tags: health department, local health, local health department, animal control, been vaccinated, have been