Required under our city and state codes for all dogs and cats. Any dangerous dogs must be on premises at all times and reported if it dies, or leaves your property as in lost or given away to a new home which the new owner's name must be submitted.
As for the cats, many of them are NOT licensed or have rabies vaccinated and either they are strictly indoors OR feral. My sister had a cat that gets her regular yearly shots but no rabies by one vet while the other vet would report her. She told the other vet to go right ahead and the vet never did report her. With her hardship, she was able to care for the cat but not the rabies which it cost $100 per year. She told me if she gets caught, she would either tell them that she gave the cat away, or got lost by the kids opening the door or put the cat down. She eventually had the cat put down because of advance stages of Feline AIDS and some genetic problems cropping up, the cat was only four or five years old and unable to afford the treatments.
We dont have any dogs but one cat, unvaccinated for rabies but vaccinated for 6 or 8 way by me. I give shots to my cats for years and some city vets would say I am taking a big risk and I looked at them like you're kidding! I've got about 20 some years experience in vaccinating animals, horses, goats, pigs, cats and dogs and you're telling me that I would take a BIG chance in killing my cat!!! And one vet said the vaccinations are not the same or may be too old to be used and i told him that I buy mine online by a very reputable vaccination company, just the same as you do and no different there! Then he told me that I would risk putting the animal to shock without the antidote on hand. I told him it is a risk I understand but never ever lost an animal YET and it is no different that you losing the animal on the operating table has a higher risk! He didnt speak to me nor did I ever went back to him anymore. He used to be a very nice vet but he became bitter and more demanding because he recently bought some land and built a brand new top of the line building and having trouble keeping customers. His father used to work there and I had a good rapport with him because he worked with livestock.
I do not get why the vets MUST remove the animals just for a vaccination, or popping pills.....maybe it was something to do with people watching and thinking its so simple to do and I will do my own vaccinations! And they would lose business.