Department of Health and Human Services
Animal Control
Frequently Asked Questions

At what age does a dog need to be licensed?
Six months old or having permanent teeth.

When a wild animal (raccoon, skunk) is out during the day, is it considered to be rabid?
No, as long as the animal is acting normal, it is not considered rabid. All wildlife must be considered rabid if a person gets bitten. If possible, the animal should be captured, destroyed and then tested to determine if it had rabies when it bit the person. If the animal cannot be captured, destroyed and tested, the person bitten has to undergo rabies preventative vaccinations. Many baby animals have had to be destroyed because well meaning people have tried to help them and either have gotten bitten or potentially exposed to the animal's saliva, (i.e., fed the animal from their hand, handled the animal without gloves and didn't wash their hands and then touched their eyes or had open cuts on their hands). If you want to protect baby wildlife, leave them alone, their mother is probably close by and watching them. If they are still there after a day, contact the animal control or the Vernon Township Police Dept.

At what age does a dog or cat need to get vaccinated for rabies?
Dogs and cats should be vaccinated for rabies after 3 months of age. The first shot is good for one year. However, if it expires prior to Oct. 31st, you won't be able to license the dog until it receives a booster.