The Proactive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) of Benton County will once again provide free vaccinations for pets in Benton County. The free vaccines are made possible through Petco Love’s national vaccination initiative, which is providing one million free pet vaccines to animal welfare partners like PAWS for family pets in need.
PAWS hopes to administer 200-300 vaccines to community pets on Saturday, March 25, between 9 a.m. and noon. Vaccines will be given on a first come, first served basis. The event will be held at the Benton County Fairgrounds. Pet owners may park next to the brick building and bring pets in through the side door. All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.
The free vaccines on offer through the Petco Love initiative will be the DAPPv canine and HCP feline vaccines. These are not rabies vaccinations, but they are life-saving preventative care.
Parvovirus and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats, the most prevalent deadly diseases affecting pets, are preventable with a simple vaccine. Yet, an estimated 30 percent of pet owners do not visit a vet annually for preventative care. To address this critical need, PAWS and Petco Love have partnered to make these essential pet vaccines free and accessible.
PAWS held a free vaccine event in November of 2022, providing vaccines for almost 100 pets. “Thanks to Petco Love, we have been able to offer these important vaccine events at no cost to pet owners,” said Gail Humphrey, CEO of PAWS. “We urge community members to take advantage of this no-cost resource to ensure the health and wellness of their pets.”
“It is heartbreaking when any pet suffers or dies from a disease that could have been prevented. It is made worse when unvaccinated pets come into crowded shelters, where these diseases can spread quickly, resulting in more deaths and expense,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “By creating greater awareness and making this crucial preventative care freely accessible to pets that need it, we can curtail the dangerous spread of disease.”
For more information about the free vaccination event, contact PAWS at 731-441-1359, visit their website at pawsofbentoncotn.org, or follow them on Facebook.
