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The low cost of $6 per shot attracted numerous pet owners
Beaver Township
They arrived in all sizes – meowing, yipping and barking and sniffing – nervously getting acquainted while waiting in line to get vaccinated at Saturday’s rabies clinic at Angels for Animals in Beaver Township.
The clinic, which ran from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Angels for Animals facility on West state Route165, attracted upward of 200 pets accompanied by their owners, said Ryan Tekac, director of the environmental-health division of the Mahoning County District Board of Health, in partnership with Dr. Richard Nokes, D.V.M., and Angels for Animals, which sponsored the event.
Among those taking advantage of the low-cost rabies clinic – $6 per shot – was Rory Lieder of Salem, who brought four small dogs to get shots.
“It’s pretty handy, and the price is right,” Lieder said of the clinic.
Brandon Macomber and Tara Blackburn, both of Leetonia, brought their St. Bernard/Australian shepherd/Labrador mix, who is about a year old and is their first dog, to get his first rabies shot.
Some of the animals were rescued by their owners.
For example, Diamond, a Labrador who is about 7, was rescued out of Columbus by Geri and Jim DeCenso of Ellsworth about four years ago. They also have three rescue cats at home.
Geri, a volunteer at Angels for Animals, said Diamond had been traded around several times, the last time for a bag of marijuana, before she got him.
“The clinic is a great place to get the rabies vaccine because the cost is affordable to most people,” she said.
“That’s what so great about this,” said Teresa Guerriero of Boardman, who brought her mother’s rescue dog for its shot. “Many people can’t afford regular veterinary care.”
Chris Merdich of Boardman brought his Corgi/Jack Russell mix, Marlee, who was adopted from New Lease on Life in Struthers, for her shot.
“She lets us know when people are around. She likes to protect her house, but when she’s outside around other people and dogs, she is very shy,” Merdich said.
It isn’t only the pet owners that appreciate Angels for Animals and its rabies clinics.
The resident veterinarian, Dr. Nokes, who has worked full time at Angels for Animals, said, “We pick up quite a few people who can’t afford the services of a regular veterinarian.”
In Mahoning County, rabies vaccination is required for all dogs, cats and ferrets over 3 months of age, Tekac said.
Rabies-shot certificates will be sent to people who got the vaccine for their pets Saturday, officials said.
Rabies, ever present in wildlife, is a preventable, potentially deadly, viral disease most often transmitted through bites and scratches from pets, strays and wildlife that are not vaccinated.
“The Mahoning County District Board of Health provides these clinics as a coordinated effort to prevent rabies through education, awareness and pet vaccination,” said Patricia Sweeney, county health commissioner.