AUSTIN, Texas — Pet parents in Austin-Travis County can get free microchipping and vaccinations this weekend.
The Austin Animal Center (ACC) is teaming up with Petco Love as part of a new vaccination initiative to provide one million free pet vaccines.
“It is heartbreaking when any pet suffers or dies from a disease that could have been prevented. 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,” said Susanne Kogut, Petco Love's president. “By creating greater awareness and making this crucial preventative care more accessible to pets not currently receiving these lifesaving vaccines, we can prevent the dangerous spread of disease.”
ACC will have free rabies vaccines, along with the DAPv Canine and HCP Feline vaccines. These vaccines will help prevent parvovirus and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats, which are "the most prevalent deadly diseases affecting pets," according to ACC.
In addition to vaccines, microchipping will also be available. These chips, which are about the size of a grain of rice, can be inserted under the skin of dogs and cats. They help animal shelters, veterinary clinics and pet stores identify owners because the area where the chip is located can be scanned to bring up owner information.
"The microchip clinic is one of the Austin Animal Center's most popular programs and I'm happy this public service will be made available to District 7-area residents," Austin Councilmember Leslie Pool (District 7) said. "Microchipping is key to reuniting pets with their families. I encourage all owners of non-microchipped pets to take advantage of this opportunity."
ACC will host a drive-thru for pet parents who are interested in microchipping or vaccinating their pets. It will take place at Shoreline Church North, located at 15201 Burnet Road, beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. Organizers said that the first 300 pets will be "guaranteed service." They ask that dogs are leashed and cats are in carriers.
“We are very excited to continue to offer free microchips to our community, especially on this scale,” said Rebekha Montie, field services manager for AAC. “Microchips not only are essential to helping pets reunite with their families but are also lifesaving. A pet has a much greater chance of making it back home if they are microchipped.”
You can complete the optional pre-registration form here.
For more information about the event, visit ACC's website. You can learn more about Petco Love on the organization's website.