FAIRFIELD, IOWA -- Rabies is a viral disease that can be deadly for your pet.
Our Fact Finder team learned if you're not getting your dog properly vaccinated, you're also breaking the law.
Fact Finder discovered all 50 states require rabies shots for dogs.
Iowa requires the shot every three years after the initial one year vaccine.
Janet Mullen with Noah’s Ark Animal helter tells fact finder that if a dog were to contract rabies and not have the vaccination it will die.
The experts say rabies shots protect more than just your pet.
“Basically rabies is a protection for humans. You obviously don't want your animals to get sick, but we also don’t want to get bit by an animal who has rabies. We just want to keep rabies out of the human population,” said Mullen.
Mullen told Fact Finder rabies is most commonly found in bats but any interaction with wildlife puts your pet at risk.
In recent years, rabies has appeared more frequently in cats than dogs, but vaccinations for cats are not required in all areas.
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