If you’ve been avoiding getting your pets vaccinated because you can’t afford it, help is here.
Habersham County Animal Care and Control is providing free vaccinations for area pets through a partnership with the nonprofit animal welfare foundation, Petco Love.
The free vaccines are part of Petco Love’s new national vaccination initiative. The foundation is providing 1 million free pet vaccines to its existing animal welfare partners, including HCACC, for family pets in need. HCACC aims to vaccinate 1,000 pets through this effort. Vaccines are now available at the Habersham County Animal Shelter during business hours by appointment.
Appointments can be made by calling 706-839-0195, emailing [email protected], or at https://calendly.com/petvaccines.
Deadly but preventable
Parvovirus and distemper in dogs, and panleukopenia in cats, are some of the most prevalent deadly diseases impacting pets that can be prevented with a simple vaccine. Unfortunately, an estimated 30% of pet parents do not take their pet to a veterinarian annually for preventative care.
DAPPv Canine and HCP Feline vaccines are being distributed through the Petco Love initiative.
“Thanks to Petco Love, we can yet again offer these important vaccines at no cost to pet owners,” says HCACC Director Madi Nix. “We urge community members to take advantage of this free resource to ensure the health and wellness of our community’s pets.”
There are no residency restrictions- anyone is welcome- even if they are not in HCACC’s service area.
“Not only are you helping to protect your pets, but helping to keep the incoming shelter population safe,” Nix says.
Petco Love President Susanne Kogut says the group hopes to raise awareness of the need for preventative care.
“It is heartbreaking when any pet suffers or dies from a disease that could have been prevented,” she says. “It is further exacerbated when unvaccinated pets come into busy shelter kennels, where these deadly diseases can spread quickly, resulting in multiple deaths, skyrocketing expenses, and hindering saving pet lives.”
Kogut says by increasing awareness and making vaccines accessible, they hope to prevent the dangerous spread of disease.
