FREE COMMUNITY VACCINE AND MICROCHIP CLINICS OFFERED
FOR PETS IN EL DORADO COUNTY
(Placerville, CA) – On Saturday November 13 and November 20, 2021, El Dorado County Animal Services, in collaboration with the El Dorado County Humane Society, will host free vaccine and microchip clinics for dogs and cats residing in El Dorado County. The clinics will be held at the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter located at 6435 Capitol Avenue in Diamond Springs, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.
"We are pleased to offer these two special vaccine and microchip clinics as a community service to help dogs and cats in El Dorado County get microchipped and up-to-date on needed vaccines," said Brittany White, El Dorado County Animal Services' shelter supervisor. "With the recent Caldor Fire, we found that pets who were microchipped had extra protection so that we could more easily find their owners. Microchips are a permanent form of identification and can be your pet's ticket home during a disaster or even if they simply wander off." The free microchips will include lifetime registration.
"Vaccinations are also important for dogs and cats, and particularly to protect against rabies, which can be fatal to pets and people," said White. "The rabies vaccine is required by law and is needed to license a dog in El Dorado County." During these clinics, vaccines to protect against DAPP (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza and Parvo) and Rabies will be offered for dogs, and the HCP (Feline viral rhinotracheitis, Feline calicivirus and Feline panleukopaenia virus) and Rabies vaccines will be offered for cats.
There is no cost to participate in the clinics and no-pre-registration required. The clinics are limited to El Dorado County residents only, and services will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Due to COVID-19, the clinics will be held outdoors with social distance and other COVID safety precautions. All dogs must be secured on a leash by the owner and all cats must be secured inside a carrier by the owner.
According to White, volunteer veterinarians and vet technicians, including those from the University of California at Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team, as well as many other volunteers are assisting to make the clinics a success. The Petco Love Foundation is generously supporting the events by donating some of the vaccines.
The El Dorado County Humane Society is a key partner in these special clinics. "Free Vaccine and Microchip Clinics have been a longtime goal for our organization," said Kim Parsons, Director of Public Relations, El Dorado County Humane Society. "The importance of providing Rabies, DAPP and HCP vaccines is a true public health service. Plus, every pet benefits from having a microchip to ensure they always find their way home."
Julie Mack, Vice President of the El Dorado County Humane Society added, "The Caldor Fire revealed a tremendous need for pet dogs and cats in our county. Evacuation sites from El Dorado Hills to Placerville were filled with anxious pet owners realizing that their animals were not up-to-date on critical vaccines and most not microchipped. So we reached out to El Dorado County Animal Services to co-host these clinics. Indeed, this is an amazing community partnership."
"Because of COVID-19, we have not been able to have any vaccine clinics for some time," said White. "We are looking forward to these events which will benefit the community as a whole but most importantly the animals."
For questions regarding the vaccine and microchip clinics, please call El Dorado County Animal Services at (530) 621-5795. For additional information about Animal Services' programs and services, visit www.edcgov.us/animalservices.
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