Habersham County Animal Care and Control in conjunction with Planned PEThood of Atlanta served 263 area pets Saturday with free vaccines, microchipping, spay/neuter and flea and tick treatment for families struggling to afford veterinary care.
The drive-through clinic program began this past summer to help people experiencing financial hardship get the care their pets need, as well as help spay and neuter animals throughout the county.
“We’ve had a lot of very endearing, heartwarming stories about why these people are here, and how much they are in need, and how they really have no other options in this area,” Tanya Weaver of Planned PEThood said. “People are willing to come out here and wait hours for this, so it’s very much needed.”
This clinic was the largest in Habersham County yet, serving more animals in need than at past clinics.
Thomas Warden and son Gunner Warden of Clarkesville brought their dogs Kita and Brownie to get their vaccinations and a neuter voucher.
The Warden’s received their dogs from unexpected litters and took them in when the puppies’ futures were uncertain. Now, they’re members of the family that Gunner says he loves.
“When I used to whimper near Brownie, he would come up and cuddle with me,” Gunner says. He says Kita is special to him, too, and loves her quirks.
They typically bring their animals to their local vet, but with prices of veterinary care being so high, when they received a ticket for the event, it was a welcome opportunity.
They were just one of many families to have their pets cared for in the $5,500 operation, paid for completely by non-profit organizations and charities. Veterinarians and volunteers donated their Saturday to put the clinic on, and Habersham County Animal Care and Control Director Madi Nix says these clinics are helping animals community-wide.
She says that thanks to the microchipping and vaccination efforts at the clinic, they’re seeing more lost animals reunited with their families, fewer diseases coming into the shelter, and that through their partnership with Planned PEThood, more animals in the county are getting fixed.
“This department has resources that can help us, and we’re not afraid to call and ask for help when we need it,” Nix says. “And that’s what we should be here for, for our community.”
Sponsors of the event included Petco Love, the Atlanta Humane Society and the Jim Parker Foundation.
RELATED: Habersham animal shelter receives free pet vaccines, grant
If you or your business would like to help sponsor a free veterinary care clinic, reach out to Tanya Weaver at [email protected] to learn more.
