The recession has affected multiple households in New Jersey, leaving many pet owners looking for economical means of keeping their pets. Add to the recession the damage done by Hurricane Sandy in October, and more individuals are struggling to make ends meet. The free rabies clinics is a means to protect your pets from a disease that is not only deadly to your pet but is life-threatening to you as well. Over the years, there has been a rise in rabies cases in New Jersey. Not getting your pet vaccinated against rabies because you cannot afford it is not an option.
State mandates require any dog over 6 months of age to be licensed. In some municipalities, cats are also required to be licensed. Licensing requires an up-to-date rabies vaccine. Depending on the municipality, the rabies vaccine must be good through a certain date to be acceptable for renewing a license. In most cases, the vaccine must be good during the first 10 months of the licensing year. Please check with your municipality for the exact expiration time that the municipality will accept for licensing.
Since the rabies vaccine is required to be licensed and licensing is required by law, the State requires each municipality to have a program in place for providing free rabies vaccines for their residents. In most cases, this is done through municipal/county rabies clinics which are usually held in municipal garages, firehouses, and/or animal shelters. There is usually a limited amount of vaccines so some may be turned away. It is best to get there early to assure that you are able to get the free rabies vaccines.
Dogs taken to the clinics should be on leashes; cats should be in carriers. It is best to have one pet in a carrier rather than cramming multiple pets in the same crate/carrier. This will reduce the chances that your pet may escape from the cage and get lost/injured at the rabies clinic.
Due to the increased numbers of New Jersey residents looking for free rabies vaccines, many people are having to travel when their municipalities run out of vacccines. As such, this article was written to provide those looking for vaccines in the area a list of available rabies clinics as of the time of the writing of this article. Please contact the individual municipalities for more information and as to whether or not the municipalities will allow nonresidents to attend their clinics.
Note: If your municipality is not listed, contact them directly. They can better inform you of any rabies clinics that are available in their area which will allow their residents to attend.
Essex County:
April 23, 2012 (Mon) Chestnut Street Firehouse, Nutley, NJ. 6-8pm.
April 24, 2012 (Tues) Avondale Firehouse, Park Avenue, Nutley 6-8 pm.
Bergen County:
Feb. 14, 2013, Teteroboro, Bergen County Animal Shelter, 100 United Lane, 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm. Note. Rabies clinics are held twice a month. Contact the shelter for exact dates.
Morris County:
February 9 or 16, 2013 Bloomingdale, NJ, 11 am - 1 pm. Call for Location (973) 838-3959.
February 16, 2013 Madison, NJ, 10 am - 11:30 am. Call for Location. (973) 593-3079.
March 2, 2013 Rockaway, NJ, 9 am - 11 am. Call for Location. (973) 983-2848.
May 4, 2013 Boonton, NJ, 10 am - 12 pm. Call for Location. (973) 402-9410, ext. 631.
June 22, 2013 Morristown, NJ, 11 am - 1 pm. Call for Location. (973) 292-6731.
Union County:
Feb. 16, 2013 Springfield, NJ, Sarah Bailey Civic Center, 30 Church Mall., 10 am - 11:30 am.
March 16, 2013 Hillside, NJ, Department of Public Works Garage, 274 Hillside Avenue, 1 pm - 3 pm.
May 7, 2013, Fanwood, Department of Public Works Garage, Manfra Way, 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm. (908) 322-8236 x 126.
Nov. 7, 2013 Clark, Municipal Building, 430 Westfield Ave. To Register call (732) 388-3600.
Middlesex County:
March 2, 2013 Monroe, NJ, Public Works Department, 76 Spotswood-Englishtown Rd. 9 am - 2 pm.
March 9, 2013 Jamesburg, NJ, Jamesburg Firehouse, 82 West Railroad Avenue,1 pm - 2 pm Cats only; 2 pm - 4 pm Dogs only; 3:30 pm - 4 pm Dogs and Cats.
March 25, 2013 Helmetta, NJ, Helmetta Municipal Building/Public Works Garage, 51 Main St., 6:30 pm - 8 pm.
March 30, 2013 Cranbury, NJ, Cranbury Firehouse 23 A North Main St. 12 pm - 2 pm.
April 9, 2013 South Amboy, NJ, Mechanicsville Firehouse 400 Raritan St. 6 pm - 6:30 pm Cats only; 6:30 pm - 9 pm Dogs only.
April 13, 2013 South Amboy, NJ, Broadway Firehouse, 127-129 North Broadway, 9 am - 9:30 am Cats only; 9:30 am - 12 pm Dogs only.
April 26, 2013 Carteret, NJ, West Carteret Firehouse, Pekola Terrrace, 6 am - 7 pm.
April 27, 2013 Carteret, NJ, Carteret Firehouse, 230 Roosevelt Avenue, 11 am - 1 pm.
April 27, 2013 Spotswood, Spotswood Municipal Building, 77 Summerhill Road, 1 pm - 4 pm.
April 27, 2013 South Plainfield, Public Works Garage, 405 Spicer Avenue, 9 am - 12 pm.
April 27, 2013 Perth Amboy, Perth Amboy Public Works Department, Fayette Avenue, 9 am - 12 pm.
May 4, 2013 Sayreville, Public Works Garage, 167 Main Street, 9 am - 12 pm Dog only; 1 pm - 3 pm Cats only.
May 11, 2013 Metuchen, Metuchen High School, 400 Grove Avenue, 9 am - 12 pm.
May 28, 2013 Milltown, Public Works Department, 39 Washington Avenue, 6 pm - 8 pm.
June 6, 2013 Highland Park, Public Works Garage, 445 Valentine St., 7 pm - 9 pm.
June 9, 2013 Highland Park, Public Works Garage, 445 Valentine St., 10 am - 12 pm.
Sept. 14, 2013 Cranbury, Cranbury Firehouse, 23A North Main Street, 12 pm - 2 pm.
Sept. 14, 2013 Perth Amboy, Perth Amboy Public Works Department, Fayette Avenue, 9 am - 12 pm.
Oct. 19, 2013, Old Bridge, Public Works Garage, Route 516, 9 am - 12 pm.
Nov. 2, 2013, Middlesex Borough, Public Works Department, 110 Main Street, 10 am - 12 pm.
Nov. 2, 2013 Plainsboro, Public Works Garage, 20 Woodland Drive, 9 am - 10 am Dogs only, 10 am - 11 am Cats only.
Nov. 16, 2013 Dunellen, Dunellen Firehouse, 231 South Madison Avenue, 9 am - 12 pm.
Monmouth County:
Feb. 16, 2013 Bloomingdale, Senior Center, 101 Hamburg Turnpike, Rear Lot. 11 am - 1 pm.
*Note: This article will be updated with new times and locations as they become available. Please call the municipalities to see if they will allow nonresidents to attend their clinics.
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