It is currently required that all dogs in San Diego County be vaccinated and licensed for rabies and we wanted to make sure our clients all understand what this means and why it's so important. The best source of information on this topic can be found with the San Diego Humane Society as they are the ones who issue the rabies tags. Rabies vaccines are currently NOT required for cats in California, but we still do recommend them for cats especially if they go outside. Rabies vaccines are also very important for pets who travel outside of the USA and some countries (and the state of Hawaii) have very specific requirements for vaccination and rabies titer testing. After we administer the rabies vaccine to your dog, we will submit the rabies certificate to the SD Humane Society who will then collect the licensing fee from you and issue you the rabies tag. Below is some information from their website:
Canine Rabies Vaccine Information:
California Health and Safety Code (121690) requires all dogs to be vaccinated against rabies and to obtain a license:
Within 30 days after reaching the age of four months, or
Within 30 days of acquiring the dog, or
Within 30 days after entering the jurisdiction.
If the dog has never received a rabies vaccine, it shall be good for 1 year. After that, it shall be good for 3 years. If there is a lapse in vaccination, some foreign countries require that the 1 year vaccine be started over again. This is important for international travel.
CERTIFICATE OF VACCINATION. Any veterinarian who vaccinates a dog for rabies shall certify such vaccination by properly completing a rabies certificate form issued by the County for that purpose and shall forward monthly to the Department a copy of each form once completed.
San Diego Humane Society will issue you a rabies tag directly once they receive the rabies certificate from us. A dog's license tag must be securely fastened to the dog's collar or harness and worn by the dog at all times. Dog licensing is the best way to ensure your pet is identifiable, if found, and is also a visible means of ensuring that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies.
You will be required to pay a licensing fee. License fees are an investment in the health and safety of our pets. These small fees also assist San Diego Humane Society in providing care to stray and homeless animals and further their efforts to eliminate animal cruelty and neglect.
To learn more go to:
https://www.sdhumane.org/