Rabies shots to carry a price - North Carolina

[Jennifer]

Smithfield -- Johnston residents who have taken their dogs to county-sponsored rabies clinics every spring will no longer get the vaccinations for free. On Monday, County Commissioners agreed to start charging $5 apiece for the shots. The vaccinations have never been free for cats, whose owners have always had to pay the $5 fee. Ernie Wilkinson, director of animal services, sought the change in policy so that his agency can recoup the cost of the service. Last year, the county vaccinated about 3,800 dogs at a cost of $18,000. "Compared to the $10.75 charged by our local vets, the $5 charge is still a bargain," he said. And he added that neighboring counties were also charging $5 for cats and dogs. For years, the county offered the shots for free to dogs because owners were required to list them as property and to pay a yearly tax, Wilkinson said. Commissioners ended the dog tax in 2004. Commissioner Wade Stewart, however, objected to charging for a service that has been traditionally free. "It's been good public relations. We don't need to charge," he said. "We did a good thing when we didn't tax ‘em. Now we're getting money out of their pockets with a different approach." Wilkinson said the shelter wanted to use the money for other needs, like collapsible cages to transport animals to adoption fairs and for needle-injection drugs to destroy sick animals. But Stewart said costs to operate the animal shelter were rising too quickly. In his lifetime, he said, he expects the agency to spend as much as $1 million a year -- up from $250,000 a few years ago. "As a government agency tries to grow, it's got to build a better mousetrap," he said. "You'll want more and more." Stewart said the county had the best-built gas chamber east of the Mississippi. "You can put a whole lot of animals in it, turn the gas on, take them to the landfill and bury them," he said. Wilkinson said state legislators this year passed a law that requires the Department of Agriculture, by midsummer, to take a stand on which form of euthanasia it finds acceptable for animal shelters to use. "From what I've interpreted, they're really not that excited about making a mandate," he said. Commissioner Jeff Carver said the vaccination fee seemed a small charge. "If folks can't afford to pay $5, they ought not to have a dog," he said. Wilkinson also recommended the county do away with the option of offering the three-year vaccination because it makes tracking records much more difficult. The board also agreed with the change. If a pet owner cannot show proof of vaccination, he may be fined $100, Wilkinson said. http://www.smithfieldherald.com/news/st ... 4604c.html - Article Source'

Ernie Wilkinson, Interim Shelter Director (919) 934-8474 1320 N. Brightleaf Blvd., Smithfield, NC 27577
email:erniewilkinson@johnstonnc.com

Please Contact the Johnston County Board of Commissioners

Cookie Pope, Chairman (919) 934-3662
849 Polenta Road
Smithfield, NC 27577

Wade M. Stewart, Vice- Chairman (919) 934-3935
Four Oaks, NC 27524

Allen L. Mims, Jr. (919)553-3435
920 City Road
Clayton, NC 27520

Jeffrey P. Carver (919) 553-8922
200 Fireweed Place
Clayton, NC 27520

W. Ray Woodall (919) 965-3635
Selma, NC 27576

DeVan Barbour (919) 894-8144 (Home)
217 West Church Street 934-8101 (Work)
Benson, NC 27504

Tony Braswell (919) 965-9857 (Home)
1170 Gor An Farm Road 790-1537 (Ext. 1Work)
Selma, NC 27576