• By AC Officer Greg Gartner
• Posted Monday, April 19, 2010

Animal Control Neighborhood Canvassing

During the month of April the Forsyth County Department of Animal Control will be canvassing neighborhoods conducting a survey of licensed and vaccinated pets. The canvassers will be providing resource information to enable pet owners to gain compliance.

As of April 1st of this year, Forsyth County has had 5 animals test positive for the rabies virus. Three (3) of these animals were skunks, one (raccoon) and one (1) fox. Unfortunately, in several of these instances dogs and cats, unvaccinated for rabies, had come in contact with the wildlife. When such situations occur with unvaccinated pets the law requires a quarantine confinement of the pet for six (6) months at the owners expense, or the pet must be destroyed.

Because so many people live close to wildlife, it is important to keep dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies. Vaccinated pets act as a buffer between people and wild animals. Avoid any physical contact with unfamiliar dogs and cats. Make sure your own pets have up-to-date rabies vaccinations, If your pet comes in contact with a wild animal, or if you are bitten by someone’s pet, get the owners name, address, and telephone number, and contact the Animal Control Department at 336-703-2490 immediately.

The licensing ordinance establishes that all dogs and cats maintained within Forsyth County are required to be licensed after residing in the County for 60 days. The license is valid for 12 months. The fee for spay/neutered dogs and cats is $5, and the fee for unaltered dogs and cats is $25.

All dog and cats are required to be licensed, but there are some exemptions from the fee requirements. Hunting dogs and show animals may receive a reduced $5.00 fee for the license. Fees may be waived for handicap assistance dogs, provided the dog is sterilized, animals that are working members of public safety agencies and an animal in the care of a non-profit animal welfare organization as long as sterilization is a requirement of the organization before adoption.

There will be a rabies vaccination clinic sponsored by the Forsyth County Rabies Prevention Committee held in the Cattle Barn at the Dixie Classic Fairground in Winston-Salem on Saturday, April 24th, between the hours of 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. The cost for the vaccination is $5.00 for each pet.

If you have questions please contact the Forsyth County Animal Control Department 336-703-2479.