Rabies Policy

Rabies is a fatal, zoonotic disease that threatens animals, clients, staff, and the community. Fox Veterinary Hospital is obligated to protect public health, comply with Ohio and local rabies regulations, and safeguard our doctors’ professional licenses. This policy explains our requirement for rabies vaccination as a condition of routine veterinary care.

This Policy Applies To

• All cats and dogs seen at Fox Veterinary Hospital
• All routine and non-emergency services, including wellness care, sick visits, elective procedures, and grooming-type services performed in the clinic such as nail trims
• All doctors, RVTs, assistants, and office staff involved in scheduling and patient intake

Local Laws Require Rabies Vaccination

• In the city of Elyria, any owner or harborer of a dog, cat, or any other animal for which a rabies vaccination is available must have that animal vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian.
• In Lorain, no person may own, keep, or harbor any dog or cat over four months of age unless it has been immunized against rabies, and vaccination must be done by a qualified veterinarian.
• Lorain County General Health District further specifies that all dogs must be vaccinated against rabies by three months of age by a licensed veterinarian.

Quarantine and Euthanasia Risks for Unvaccinated Animals

• Under Ohio Administrative Code 3701-3-29, dogs and cats that bite a person must be quarantined and may be required to be vaccinated upon entry into quarantine and must have current rabies vaccination status before release.
• If an unvaccinated pet is exposed to a known or suspected rabid animal, the local health commissioner can require strict, months-long isolation or humane euthanasia.
• Ohio law and Lorain County Public Health require that all animal bites be reported to the health department, which then verifies the animal’s rabies vaccination status and oversees quarantine.

Rabies Vaccination is Required for Care

Fox Veterinary Hospital requires current rabies vaccination, administered by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, for all dogs and cats 16 weeks of age or older presenting for non-emergency care. “Current” means within the interval recommended on the vaccine label and consistent with local ordinances (typically 1- or 3-year vaccines depending on the product and prior history).

Verification of Rabies Status

At scheduling and check-in, staff will ask if the animal has a current rabies vaccination and request documentation (rabies certificate or proof from a previous clinic).

If no proof is available, the animal may be scheduled only if the owner agrees that rabies vaccination will be administered at the visit before or at the time of other services. If the owner refuses, staff must politely explain that clinic policy and local law require vaccination, and the appointment will be cancelled or converted to a rabies-vaccine-only visit (if the owner changes their mind).

Refusal of Rabies Vaccine

If an owner declines rabies vaccination for an eligible animal, Fox Veterinary Hospital will not provide non-emergency veterinary services for that animal. This includes wellness exams, sick visits, elective procedures, dental procedures, grooming-related care, and nail trims. We will document the discussion in the medical record (including that vaccination was recommended and declined) and provide the owner with information on local rabies requirements and the option to return for vaccination in the future.

In true life-threatening emergencies, the attending veterinarian may stabilize the animal and will:

• Strongly recommend rabies vaccination as soon as the animal is stable; and
• Document any refusal and notify the local health department as needed if there is a bite or exposure concern.

Medical Exemptions

True medical contraindications to rabies vaccination are rare but may exist (for example, severe documented vaccine reaction or specific immune-mediated disease). In such cases, the veterinarian may consider a temporary medical exemption if:

• The condition is documented in the medical record, and
• The veterinarian issues a written statement explaining the specific medical reason the vaccine is contraindicated at that time (consistent with how some county health regulations handle contraindications).

Even with a medical exemption, owners must be informed that local health authorities may not recognize exemptions for quarantine decisions and the animal may still be subject to strict quarantine or euthanasia if exposed to rabies or if they bite a person.

Fox Veterinary Hospital reserves the right to limit services even with a medical exemption if staff safety or public health is at risk.

Bite or Exposure Incidents in the Clinic

If a dog or cat bites or otherwise potentially exposes a person to saliva, staff must:

• Immediately report the incident to the supervising veterinarian and the Practice Manager.
• Complete bite documentation required by Lorain County Public Health, and ensure reporting to the health department within the required timeframe.

The veterinarian will provide the owner with instructions regarding quarantine/observation, and any additional testing or vaccination required by the health department.