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The Benton County Health Clinic sponsors an annual rabies clinic (usually in March or April)
It is Arkansas state law to have dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian.
Area veterinarians reduce their cost for rabies vaccinations for both dogs and cats.
Some veterinarians will also offer regular vaccinations at reduced rates at "walk-up" clinics.
They do rural routes in remote areas of the county.
A licensed veterinarian must vaccinate all domestic animals annually for rabies.
The Rabies Control Act states that
all dogs and cats four months of age or older are required to have a rabies vaccination given
by a licensed veterinarian. Currently no age limit is specified for initial vaccinations. Regardless
of the age of the animal at initial vaccination, a booster vaccination should be administered one
year later to ensure immunity to the rabies virus. In other words, dogs and cats, regardless of age,
must receive 2 rabies vaccinations approximately one year apart. After these initial "booster vaccinations",
then the pet may continue receiving the rabies vaccination at 1 to 3 year intervals depending on the type of
vaccine used. Both one-year and three-year duration vaccines are available.
After the initial two vaccinations, if a veterinarian administers a one-year licensed rabies vaccine,
the pet will need to be revaccinated one year later. If a three-year vaccine is chosen, then the pet
will be required to be revaccinated three years later. Pet owners should ask their veterinarian if a one-year
or three-year vaccine was used to vaccinate their animals.
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