WALLA WALLA - New year, new law, says the Washington state
Department of Health. Beginning Jan. 1, pet dogs, cats and
ferrets in the state must be current on rabies vaccination.
Right now, cities and counties across the state have a mix of
ordinances regarding the deadly viral illness that is spread
primarily by infected animals, officials said. Every year,
hundreds of people in Washington must get the series of rabies
shots because of possible exposure to the virus. The last
domestic animal to test positive for the disease in the state
was a Walla Walla barn cat in 2002, forcing a local family to
undergo rabies vaccinations in what was a "multi-thousand dollar
event," said Harvey Crowder, administrator for Walla Walla
County Public Health Department. In addition, the two family
dogs were not current on vaccinations and ended up being
euthanized because of the potential exposure to rabies, he said.
Afterward it was widely recognized the state needed to have a
standard requirement across the board that met wit