A low-cost vaccine clinic can be a great way to maintain a pet’s health at an affordable cost to pet owners.

For the 12th time, the Sachse Animal Shelter is hosting a low-cost vaccination clinic in conjunction with Animal Allies of Texas in Garland from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 21.

Animal Control Supervisor Terri O’Neal, a 15-year veteran of the shelter, said Animal Allies brings its own veterinarian to administer the shots to animals along with veterinary technicians.

To make room for the vaccine clinic, the shelter uses its garage area and also clears its main office where the shots will be administered.

The clinic is geared toward specifically cats and dogs. For $25, owners can get all the annual shots for their animal, including a rabies vaccine and DHLPP vaccine. Any animals that receive vaccinations during the clinic are registered for free by shelter staff, said O’Neal.

There will also be on-site heartworm testing available and an option to purchase medication at a reduced cost for residents. 

The event is not exclusive to Sachse residents.

“Most of the people we see are from Sachse,” O’Neal said. “But everybody is welcome to come. We see Wylie folks, we see people from Murphy and Garland.”

In past years, the clinic has administered shots to between 100-120 animals, said O’Neal, adding that getting animals vaccinated helps them stay well and live a healthy life. 

She said residents planning on attending should also be prepared to wait between 30 and 45 minutes because the event is so popular. 

“A lot of times, we run out of vaccines before we get everybody done,” O’Neal said. “People will want to show up early.”

Additionally, the shelter will have no-cost adoptions on Friday, May 20 and that Saturday. All adoption fees from the shelter normally cover having the pet spayed or neutered and immunized, said O’Neal, adding that pets adopted during the no-cost days will still have those procedures covered by the city.

For the full story, see the May 5 issue of The Sachse News.