North Carolina law 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 - SouthPark is a veterinary clinic on Old Sardis Road in Charlotte, North Carolina, that gives the rabies vaccine after a quick exam, hands you the tag and a signed certificate, and keeps the record on file.
Rabies is a virus that travels along the nerves to the brain, and it cannot be cured once signs appear, in pets or in people. Petfolk SouthPark cares for dogs and cats only.
Call (980) 580-8079 or book online.
Who has to get a rabies shot in Charlotte?
Cats, dogs and ferrets older than four months must be vaccinated under N.C. General Statute 130A-185, and that includes apartment cats and small dogs that rarely leave the yard. Rabies is present in local wildlife: North Carolina's State Laboratory confirmed 10 rabid animals in Mecklenburg County in 2025, five bats and five raccoons (NC State Laboratory of Public Health). A bat that gets inside is a common way an indoor pet is exposed, so Petfolk SouthPark vaccinates indoor cats too.
Puppies and kittens usually get their first rabies dose near the end of the baby vaccine series. The kitten vaccines page shows where it lands for cats.
How often does my pet need a rabies booster in North Carolina?
North Carolina sets the booster schedule: a pet's first rabies booster is due one year after the first shot, and after that every three years with a USDA-licensed three-year vaccine or every year with a one-year vaccine (10A NCAC 41G .0101). Your Petfolk SouthPark certificate shows which product your pet got and the date the next dose is due. Write that date down before you leave.
What do SouthPark pets usually get?
At Petfolk SouthPark, more than a third of the rabies vaccines given (37%) went to cats, from October 2025 to September 2026. In the same window:
For cats, 93% of the rabies vaccines given at Petfolk SouthPark were the PureVax recombinant vaccine, made for cats.
A third of dog vaccine visits (34%) and two-thirds of cat vaccine visits (66%) at Petfolk SouthPark included a rabies shot.
Can I use the free county rabies clinic instead?
Yes, if it suits you. Charlotte Animal Care & Control runs free rabies clinics for Mecklenburg County residents. No appointment is needed, pets must be at least 12 weeks old, and the regular clinics give 1-year vaccines only; larger "Mega Clinics" a couple of times a year may offer the 3-year option. A rabies-only clinic is not a full checkup, so if your pet is due for other care, a visit to Petfolk SouthPark covers both. Bring any county certificate to your next vet visit so the record is complete.
Tag, certificate or both: what do I need to keep?
Keep both the tag and the Petfolk SouthPark certificate, because they do different jobs.
The tag is what your pet wears. North Carolina's tag law, G.S. 130A-190, says it must show the year, a vaccination number, "North Carolina" or "N.C." and the words "rabies vaccine." Dogs must wear it at all times, and cats too unless a local ordinance exempts them.
The certificate is the paper or PDF with the product, lot number, date given and date due. Kennels, groomers and travel paperwork ask for this.
I truly appreciate ... the attention to detail on the paperwork. We had to get our cat re-vaccinated for rabies after receiving an unreliable one from another vet. T. M., Google review
What if my pet tangles with a bat, raccoon or fox?
Call Petfolk SouthPark the same day, even if your pet's shot is current.
Put on gloves before touching the wound or your pet's coat. Saliva carries the virus.
Keep other pets and children away, and don't try to trap the wild animal.
Have the rabies certificate ready; the vet will want the date of the last dose.
If a person was bitten or scratched, wash the area with soap and water and call a doctor; the CDC rabies pages explain next steps for people. If your pet bites a person, North Carolina law calls for a 10-day confinement, which the local health director may allow at home (G.S. 130A-196).
When does a wildlife fight need a 24-hour hospital?
Go straight to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet has deep bite wounds to the face, neck or chest, is bleeding heavily or is struggling to breathe. The rabies paperwork can wait until your pet is stable.
Whether you live in Myers Park or near the clinic, a vet in SouthPark can give the shot at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - SouthPark, 4914 Old Sardis Rd, Unit C5, Charlotte, NC 28211. If your dog is due for more than rabies, the dog vaccines page compares the rest.
Call (980) 580-8079 or book online.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - SouthPark, or see all veterinary services in SouthPark.
Rabies shot questions from SouthPark pet parents
East of SouthPark Mall, on Old Sardis Road