North Adams' Chase Hill Rabies Vaccination Clinic a Success
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — More than 200 dogs and cats from the Chase Hill neighborhood received free rabies vaccinations and microchip implants during the city-sponsored clinic.
Because of a reported rabies-infected cat in the Chase Hill area last month, a plethora of animal welfare groups teamed up to provide free vaccinations to neighborhood pets on Thursday from 11 to 6.
And it was a busy afternoon.
"When we got here at 11 a.m. we had people in line," Executive Director of Berkshire Humane Society John Perreault said. "It was packed at noon. We had a line down the road ... I am always hoping for more but it has been a good turnout."
Along with Berkshire Humane and the city, Animal Fund, state Departments of Agricultural Resources and Public Health, Animal Dreams, Second Chance Animal Shelter, Greylock Animal Hospital, Pittsfield Veterinary Hospital, and animal control officers were all involved with the pop-up clinic on a vacant city-owned lot on River Street.
Perreault said Thursday marks the first step of the process and that Animal Dreams will attempt to trap wandering and feral cats throughout the neighborhood over the weekend. The first 50 will be vaccinated and get spayed or neutered at the Department of Public Works garage Monday.
"With the amount of stray cats loose in this part of the community the state was concerned that it would spread and become a public health hazard for humans as well," he said.
Perreault said cats that look healthy and cared for will be released where they were trapped so they can find their way home.
Obvious strays will be vaccinated and quarantined for 6 months.
The state requires all dogs, cats and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies every three years.
Perreault added that the Mass Animal Fund spent the day handing out vouchers to low-income families that will allow them to get their animal spayed or neutered for free and help them financially take care of their animals.
He said many of the pets they took care of have never been to a veterinarian before, but they were able to hand out 75 vouchers.
Although some animals were not too keen on being prodded with a needle (though some took it like a champ), Perreault said every pet owner served was very thankful.
"Almost every single person came over and said thank you and said this neighborhood and community desperately needed this," he said. "We had nothing but thankful people."
Tags: Berkshire Humane Society, cats, dogs, domestic animals, rabies, vaccinations,
