News Photo by Julie Riddle A dog recently rescued from a neglect situation revels in a belly rub from Alpena County Animal Control Officer Deputy Michelle Reid at the Alpena County Animal Control building, where a license and vaccination clinic will be held on Saturday.

ALPENA — Twenty bucks might save you a few hundred dollars, keep you out of jail, and possibly save someone’s life.

A rabies vaccination and licensing clinic on Saturday at the Alpena County Fairgrounds offers dog owners an easy and inexpensive way to make sure their canines are compliant with Michigan law.

All dogs, even those always kept indoors or on a farm, are required to be licensed in Michigan. Lacking a license can lead to a civil infraction and fine of up to $500 or a misdemeanor charge with a fine and potential for up to three months in jail.

A dog license helps police quickly reunite a lost dog with its owner and instantly identifies that it is up to date on its rabies vaccination.

On average, at least one dog bite a week lands someone in the emergency room, according to Deputy Michelle Reid, animal control officer for Alpena County.

Many bites are a result of a kind-hearted resident trying to help a dog that looks like a stray, Reid explained. If the dog can’t be proven to have been vaccinated against rabies, the person who was bitten may be subjected to a vigorous series of injections as a precaution.

Although rare in the U.S., “rabies is still a thing,” Reid said. In Alpena county, a bat found in a child’s bedroom recently tested positive for rabies.

Like licenses, rabies vaccinations are mandatory for all dogs. Proof of vaccination is required before a license can be obtained.

Annual licenses and vaccinations are required by the beginning of the calendar year. To help dog owners comply with the law, dogs who haven’t yet been tagged for 2020 can stop at the Alpena County Animal Control building at the fairgrounds between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Vaccinations and licenses can be issued on the spot at a low cost. It’s a chance to take care of those requirements before the prices double on March 1, Reid said.

Julie Riddle can be reached at 989-358-5693, jriddle@thealpenanews.com or on Twitter @jriddleX.

If you go

∫ WHAT: Dog license/rabies vaccination clinic

∫ WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

∫ WHERE: Alpena County Animal Control, Alpena County Fairgrounds, 625 S 11th Ave., Alpena

∫ HOW MUCH: Vaccinations are $10, licenses are $10.50 if spayed/neutered, $16.50 if not

∫ INFO: Vaccination will be a one-year shot unless the owner provides proof of prior/current vaccination status to receive a three-year vaccine. Vaccination and license fees must be paid separately. Exact cash or check will be accepted.