North Carolina requires every dog, cat and ferret over four months old to be vaccinated against rabies, with a booster one year after the first shot and then every one or three years depending on the vaccine. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne is a vet clinic on Ballantyne Commons Parkway in Charlotte, North Carolina, that gives rabies vaccines to dogs and cats and issues the certificate and tag you need.
Rabies spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, usually by a bite. It cannot be cured once signs appear, in pets or in people, so prevention and quick action after an exposure matter most.
Call (980) 300-6982 or book online.
What should I do right now?
Your pet is due or overdue. Book a visit at Petfolk Ballantyne this week.
A wild animal bit or scratched your pet, or your pet had a dead animal in its mouth. Wear gloves to handle your pet, keep others away, and call Petfolk Ballantyne the same day.
Your pet has deep bites, heavy bleeding or trouble breathing after a fight. Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital now. Petfolk Ballantyne does not provide overnight care.
Your pet bit a person. Wash the wound, report the bite, and find your rabies certificate the same day.
You found a bat in a room where your pet was. Call Petfolk Ballantyne and county animal services the same day, and do not let the bat go if it can be safely contained.
You lost the tag or certificate. Call the clinic that gave the vaccine for a copy.
How often does North Carolina require a rabies booster?
Under North Carolina rule 10A NCAC 41G .0101, the first booster is due one year after the first shot. After that, a pet is revaccinated every three years with a USDA-licensed three-year vaccine, or every year with a one-year vaccine. The vaccine requirement itself is G.S. 130A-185.
At the visit, the Petfolk Ballantyne vet does a quick exam to confirm your pet is well enough to vaccinate, gives the shot, and hands you a certificate and a numbered metal tag. Fear-free handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic. Under G.S. 130A-190, dogs must wear that tag at all times.
You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit.
Brought him back for a 2nd visit to get his rabies and distemper vaccines. Donna S., Google review
PureVax for Ballantyne cats
From October 2025 to September 2026, 98% of the rabies vaccines Petfolk Ballantyne gave to cats were PureVax, a recombinant vaccine made for cats. Cats received 41% of all rabies vaccines the clinic gave.
Rabies shots were part of 35% of dog vaccine visits and 74% of cat vaccine visits. The cat vaccines page covers the other shots cats need.
Is rabies found near Ballantyne?
Yes, in wildlife. North Carolina's State Laboratory of Public Health confirmed rabies in Mecklenburg County animals in 2025, all of them wild: bats and raccoons. Even a vaccinated pet needs attention after a possible exposure.
Put on gloves before touching your pet's coat or wounds, and leave the wild animal alone.
Call Petfolk Ballantyne the same day. The vet will examine the wounds, give a booster soon after the exposure if appropriate, and explain any reporting the county requires.
The CDC rabies pages explain how rabies reaches people.
If your pet bites a person
In Mecklenburg County, a dog, cat or ferret that bites a person is confined for 10 days, under the Mecklenburg County animal ordinance and North Carolina law (G.S. 130A-196). If your pet is currently vaccinated, Animal Services may allow that confinement at home. If not, it happens at a veterinary hospital or the county shelter.
Separate your pet and help the person wash the wound with soap and running water for several minutes. They should call their doctor.
Find your pet's rabies certificate. Animal Services will ask for it.
Follow the reporting steps Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control gives you.
Keep your pet indoors and away from visitors during the 10 days.
Booking a rabies shot in Ballantyne
A vet in Ballantyne can give the rabies vaccine and the certificate you need. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne is at 5335 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28277. Call (980) 300-6982 or book online.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne, or see all veterinary services in Ballantyne.
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Rabies shots on Ballantyne Commons Parkway