Get Your Pet Vaccinated for Free This Weekend

Free rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats will be given at Kent Animal Shelter on Sunday. Other vaccines like canine influenza and distemper parvo will be available at low cost and with all office fees waived.

The event is in honor of the American Humane Society’s “Be Kind to Animals Week.” However, the free vaccination clinic is something Kent offers twice a year.

“We want to see the pets get the care and vaccinations they need,” Pamela Green, executive director of Kent Animal Shelter, said. “With the economy and people struggling, the last thing that comes under the budget is the care for the animals.”

A normal trip to the veterinarian for vaccinations could range from $100 - $200.

Rabies is a deadly disease transmitted often by wild animals such as foxes, skunks, raccoons and bats. An infected animal often acts irrationally due to the swelling the disease causes in its brain. A normally loving dog or cat, infected with rabies, may bite a human.

In Suffolk County, all pet owners are legally obligated to provide their pets with the rabies vaccine.

“Certainly, you don’t want your pet to contract any of these diseases,” Green said. “Rabies is deadly, but these others can also be caught from other wildlife. If they do get it, it’s potentially fatal or can cost thousands of dollars to hospitalize the pet.”

Kent will also be offering low cost flea, tick, and heartworm medications throughout the event. However, in order to purchase the heartworm medicine, Green advises that the pet must already be taking the medication or an appointment will need to be made to make sure your pet is heartworm free.

For more information or to register for Sunday’s free vaccinations at Kent, call 727-5731 ext 2. Registration is necessary to attend. The clinic will run from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.