Rabies clinic vaccinates more than 800 petsSalem
SALEM – Cats meowed their unhappiness and dogs tugged at their leashes around and inside the rear building at the Salem Civic Center. The scare of rabies and the lure of bargain $5 vaccinations brought out pet owners with more than 800 dogs and cats.
An hour before the advertised 9 a.m. start on May 15, the line of owners, dogs on leashes and cats in carriers – some stacked three high – snaked around the front and sides of the civic center on May 15.
Brenda Reddicks, in background, watches as her miniature pinscher receives a rabies shot at the Salem Civic Center on Saturday. Reddicks was one of hundreds of people who brought more than 800 dogs and cats for $5 rabies shots. Photo by Kristin Adams
Two confirmed cases of rabies in wild animals in Roanoke in the last several weeks were enough to drive home the point to pet owners, they said – and the price was right.
Rabies vaccinations at veterinarians’ offices typically cost $15-$20 per animal in the Roanoke Valley, a check of vets’ offices shows, plus $40 or more for a well animal checkup.
The people standing in line Saturday morning gave a variety of reasons as to why their pets were not up to date with their rabies vaccinations. Money stretched too thin in the past year’s bad economy was one of the most common reasons; forgetting to take pets for annual checkups was another.
Whatever the reason, the 812 animals – and their owners – were remarkably well behaved for strangers bunched together on a hot morning in an environment where the dogs could smell other dogs’ fear, and cats loudly meowed their complaints on being so near dogs they didn’t know nor like.
There were really tall dogs and lots of small ones. One family brought 11 of their chihuauas.
Salem Animal Control employees and others expedited processing by handing out forms and clip boards to pet owners in the line.
It helped, too, that cat owners and those who had both cats and dogs were sent to a separate line on the opposite side of the steel building, which cut down both on the length of the line and minimized contact between dogs and cats.
Cats were isolated for their shots inside a vet trailer. Roanoke County Animal Control Officer Ken Broughman smoothly handed off carriers of cats to Dr. Jeanmarie Short, assisted by Elizabeth Blyskl, who are both from Vinton Veterinary Hospital.
“We were very pleased with the turnout, and there was only one minor bite,” said Lt. Bill Bandy of Salem Animal Control.
Bandy had five shelter employees there, plus four Salem Animal Control Officers. Roanoke County Animal Control had three, and Roanoke City had at least that many.
There were more volunteers than could be counted from the Alleghany Regional Health Department, which coordinated the mass vaccination clinic, and a dozen veterinarians and assistants from Roanoke Valley vet clinics.
Representatives of the treasurer’s offices for Salem, Roanoke County, Roanoke City and the Town of Vinton were also set up to issue dog and cat tags on the spot.
The clinic was supposed to run from 9 a.m. to noon. “At 10:45 a.m., we told people in line we weren’t sure if we would be able to serve everyone because of the large turnout,” Bandy said. “There were only 750 doses of vaccine, but they sent out for more.”
