The City of St. Joseph Health Department Animal Control and Rescue has set the dates for this year’s citywide, low-cost rabies vaccination clinics.
According to a press release, the rabies clinics are held during the first two weeks of May at locations across St. Joseph in an effort to make the clinics easily accessible to the community. Local veterinarians volunteer their time to administer vaccines to pets. Animal Control and Rescue will issue city registration tags, administer microchips, and provide dog park registrations.
Clinics are sponsored and made possible by the City of St. Joseph Health Department, Friends of the Animal Shelter, Boehringer Ingelheim and local participating veterinarians.
The following clinics are scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m.:
Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at Lindbergh Elementary School, 2812 St. Joseph Ave.
Thursday, May 3, 2018 at First Church of the Nazarene, 2102 South 22nd St.
Monday, May 7, 2018 at Hosea Elementary School, 6401 Gordon St.
Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at Skaith Elementary School, 4701 Schoolside Lane
Thursday, May 10, 2018 at Mark Twain Elementary School, 801 South 31st St.
Rabies vaccines are offered at the clinics for $5 each. Combination vaccines are offered for an additional $10 fee, paid separately to the participating veterinarian. PetLink microchips are offered for a nominal fee of $10 each. These microchips are effective in reuniting pets with their owners in case of accidental separation. Pet owners can purchase an annual city license following the vaccination of their pets. Licenses cost $15 for a pet that is not altered or $5 for a spayed/neutered pet (pet owners are required to bring proof that their dog or cat has been spayed or neutered to the clinic). This year, Animal Control and Rescue will also sell tags for the Corby Off-Leash Dog Park. Tags are $5 per altered/vaccinated dog over four months of age. Unaltered animals are not allowed in the park.
Animal Control and Rescue is adding activities to the rabies clinics for 2018. Pawsitively Pet Parlor will offer free nail trimming to animals in attendance. Staff will also be adding a craft activity to engage local youth at the clinic.
In 2017, a total of 841 animals were vaccinated against the rabies virus and many also took advantage of the combination vaccine offered by local veterinarians.
In case of inclement weather, visit the Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Joseph Facebook page or contact the shelter at (816) 271-4877 to verify the status of the clinic.