Get your pet vaccinated at low-cost clinics this fall

A dog owner gets her pet vaccinated for rabies - file image. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)

With the fall season here pet owners are reminded to take advantage of several low-cost rabies vaccination clinics scheduled to take place across the region.

Health experts say rabies can be transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals such as bats, foxes, skunks, and raccoons. In most cases, they say once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit says providing your pet with a rabies vaccination is the easiest way to keep them safe. To make vaccinations more accessible, low-cost rabies clinics are offering one-year and three-year vaccine options for dogs and cats over three months old.

Prices start at $30 per animal, and some clinics will offer microchipping services for an additional fee.

Upcoming Clinics:

• Alliston: New Tecumseth Animal Clinic, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Barrie: Holly Animal Hospital, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Oro-Medonte: Oro-Medonte Veterinary Services, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Penetanguishene: Penetang Vet Hospital, Oct. 25, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Severn: Pine Grove Veterinary Hospital, Oct. 17, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Before attending a clinic, pet owners are advised to:

• Bring their pet’s vaccination records to confirm eligibility for the three-year vaccine
• Ensure their pet is at least three months old
• Keep dogs on a leash (six feet or shorter) and cats in carriers
• Not attend if they or a family member is ill