The Proactive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) of Benton County has a plan to provide free vaccinations for Benton County area pets. The free vaccines are made possible through Petco Love, which is providing one million free pet vaccines to existing animal welfare partners like PAWS.
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 don’t visit a veterinarian annually for preventative care.
To ensure the health and wellness of pets and to address this critical need, PAWS and Petco Love have partnered to offer free pet vaccines. The free vaccines distributed at events through the Petco Love initiative will be the DAPPv canine and HCP feline vaccines. These are not rabies vaccinations, which are required by Tennessee law.
“Thanks to Petco Love, we can 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 our community’s pets.”
Through the partnership, PAWS aims to vaccinate 300 cats and 300 dogs over the next few months. The first event will be held at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Camden on Saturday, Nov. 12. Vaccinations will be administered from 9 a.m. – noon on a first come, first served basis. Parking will to the right of the brick building, and owners will bring pets in through the side door. All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.
“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 busy shelter kennels, where these deadly diseases can spread quickly,” said Petco Love President Susanne Kogut. “By creating greater awareness and making crucial preventative care more accessible to owners, we can prevent the dangerous spread of diseases.”
For more information about vaccine distribution, contact PAWS at 731-441-1359, visit www.pawsofbentoncotn.org, or follow on Facebook at “Paws of Benton Co. TN.” Learn more about Petco Love’s lifesaving impact at PetcoLove.org.
