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Animal Care & Services

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1. Why does the City require me to license and vaccinate my pet?

Many people living in countries without rabies control die each year from contracting this disease. Rabies is almost always fatal. Every state in the union requires their counties and cities to protect their citizens from contracting rabies by mandating that every owned dog and cat be given a rabies vaccination. The only way for cities to avoid being in violation of this state mandate is to require their citizens to vaccinate their pets.

Cities have no way of obtaining proof that their residents have complied with the law unless they have a record. In order to obtain a record, cities must require residents to license their pets with the caveat being they cannot license their pet without first supplying proof of rabies. The City of San José can then ensure that all dogs and cats licensed in their jurisdiction have proof of rabies and are in compliance with the State Rabies Mandate. (SJMC Sections 7.08.610, 7.08.615, 7.08.620, 7.08.625, 7.08.630, 7.08.635, 7.08.640, 7.08.645)