STATE OF NEW YORK
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER 
Proclamation

Whereas, New York State places the highest priority on the health and well-being of our citizens and supports initiatives that address critical public health concerns facing society today, and the incidence of rabies is an urgent health matter in New York State, as evidenced by more than 46,000 residents having received rabies treatments since 1990; and

Whereas, if untreated, rabies is fatal to all mammals, including humans, therefore, all animal lovers and pet owners must be especially aware that if an unvaccinated pet bites a person, state law requires the animal be confined for a period of ten days in an approved facility and, state law also requires that an unvaccinated pet exposed to another possibly rabid animal must be euthanized or quarantined for six months; and

Whereas, in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of human rabies treatments administered due to bat exposures whereby, since 1990, 38 of the 41 human rabies cases in the United States have been contracted from rabid bats, which have been found in all of the State’s 62 counties; and

Whereas, while approximately 97 percent of bats submitted to the State Health Department for testing have been found to be negative for rabies, over 1,400 people undergo rabies treatments each year, because the bat they were exposed to was not caught for testing and, therefore, all New Yorkers must remain aware of the risk of rabies exposure from any contact with a bat; and

Whereas, everyone should avoid approaching or touching any wild or stray animal and make sure that pets are immunized against rabies, keep pet vaccinations up-to-date, and, if a bat is found in living quarters, do not discard or release it, but rather immediately contact the local health department for proper testing and handling; and

Whereas, all New Yorkers are urged to be aware of the dangers and risks associated with rabies, to become better educated about this disease, and to support the goals of Rabies Awareness Month and its accompanying public awareness campaign that seeks to inform citizens about rabies, so as to ensure their own safety and that of loved ones;

Now, Therefore, I, David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby proclaim June 2008 as

RABIES AWARENESS MONTH

in the Empire State.

Given under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State at the Capitol in the City of Albany this nineteenth day of May in the year two thousand eight.

David A. Paterson
Governor