Pet owners across Mobile County will have five chances this August to get their dogs, cats and ferrets vaccinated against rabies at low-cost weekend clinics organized by the Mobile County Health Department.
MCHD’s Rabies Officer hosts the clinics each month at rotating locations around the county, offering a one-year rabies vaccine for a flat fee of $15 per animal, payable in cash. Most of the events are drive-through style, allowing pet owners to stay in their vehicles while a technician administers the shot, though the clinic hosted at B&B Pet Stop is run a bit differently, with owners bringing their pets up to what staff describe as “the front porch” of the facility.
Here is the full schedule of August rabies clinics planned across Mobile County:
- Saturday, August 1, 10 a.m. to noon — City of Mobile Animal Shelter, 855 Owens Street, Mobile
- Saturday, August 8, 10 a.m. to noon — Mobile County Animal Shelter, 7665 Howells Ferry Road, Mobile
- Saturday, August 8, 1 to 3 p.m. — Pet Supplies Plus, 803 Hillcrest Road, Mobile
- Saturday, August 15, 10 a.m. to noon — Pine Air Baptist Church, 10341 Highway 188, Grand Bay
- Saturday, August 22, 9 a.m. to noon — Prichard Animal Shelter, 2402 North Rebel Road, Prichard
State law tasks local health departments with making rabies vaccinations affordable and accessible to pet owners, and Alabama requires that dogs, cats and ferrets be currently vaccinated against the disease. MCHD’s monthly clinic schedule is designed to reach residents in different parts of the county throughout the year rather than concentrating services in one location, giving families in Mobile, Grand Bay, Prichard and surrounding communities a nearby option roughly once a month.
The program appears to be reaching a substantial share of the county’s pet population. MCHD’s Rabies Officer administered 218 vaccinations in July alone, including 164 dogs and 54 cats, and vaccinated 3,261 household pets over the course of 2025 — 2,585 dogs, 675 cats and one ferret. Health officials point to that volume as evidence that low-cost, convenient clinics remain one of the most effective tools for keeping vaccination rates high in a large, spread-out county.
Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, making prevention through vaccination the most important line of defense. The virus spreads through the saliva of infected mammals, typically via a bite, and can be transmitted to both pets and humans. Early symptoms in infected animals can include unusual behavior, irritability, fever and difficulty eating or drinking, progressing to balance problems, disorientation, circling, seizures, coma and death. Because all warm-blooded mammals are susceptible, public health officials stress that keeping pets current on their rabies shots protects not just the animal but the entire household and neighborhood.
Mobile County’s rabies control efforts are part of a statewide framework overseen by the Alabama Department of Public Health, which maintains guidance for pet owners on quarantine procedures in the event of a suspected exposure. Residents whose pets may have been bitten by a wild animal, or who have questions about the vaccination requirement, can consult MCHD’s Rabies Quarantine Fact Sheet or contact the health department directly. For pet owners planning to attend one of August’s clinics, officials recommend keeping dogs on a leash and cats and ferrets secured in a carrier for everyone’s safety while waiting in line.
More information about MCHD’s ongoing rabies vaccination program, including future clinic dates, is available through the health department’s website.