CANTON -- The St. Lawrence County Public Health Department is hosting the first free rabies clinic of 2020 on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 10 a.m.-noon inside the main lobby of the Canton Human Services Building, 80 State Highway 310.

Every dog, cat and ferret 3 months or older is required to be vaccinated, including pets who normally do not go outside, said a press release from public health.

Pre-registration is required for this clinic as appointments are limited.

Participants are asked to arrive at the time of their scheduled appointment, not before, to help make the onsite clinic process run efficiently.

The pre-registration link is www.health.ny.gov/gotoclinic/45.

Last year, the County vaccinated 3,093 pets at 26 free clinics held in partnership with a variety of towns and villages.

Any animal bitten or scratched by either a wild, carnivorous mammal or a bat can transmit rabies, public health said. The rabies vaccine will protect your pet for three years. Dogs and cats receiving their first rabies vaccine will need a booster in one year.

Those attending the clinic should bring their pet’s current rabies certificate (not a rabies tag) if one is available, as this is the proof of vaccination.

For help with pre-registration, call the public health department at 315-386-2325 and a staff member will assist you.

The pre-registration link for the Feb. 15 clinic can be found on the public health website at www.stlawco.org/Departments/PublicHealth/PublicHealth or on the Public Health Facebook page @SLCPublicHealth.