Multiple Opportunities for Low-Cost Vet Services to Help Be Safe and Healthy in the New Year

By Carol Weemes, Arlington Animal Services

Posted on January 22, 2021, January 22, 2021

Microchips, rabies vaccines, and spaying or neutering pets saves lives. Arlington Animal Services and longtime community partner Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (TCAP) offer low-cost veterinary services to help keep you, your pet and the community safe.

Access to TCAP’s vet services is about to get easier for Arlington residents. The nonprofit is set to open a clinic location Friday, Jan. 22 at 2400 SE Green Oaks Blvd., just down the street from the Arlington Animal Services Center. Each Friday, TCAP will offer walk-in (no appointment necessary) vaccine and wellness events at its new location from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Click here to visit the nonprofit’s website for TCAP pet wellness offerings here.

Animal Services will continue to offer low-cost pet vaccinations and microchips in partnership with TCAP at the Animal Services Center quarterly. Click here for a list of upcoming clinic dates.

More about Microchips

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reports from the Journal of the AMVA that “a study of more than 7,700 stray animals at animal shelters showed that dogs without microchips were returned to their owners 21.9% of the time whereas microchipped dogs were returned to their owners 52.2% of the time.” And, the study reported that “cats without microchips were reunited with their owners only 1.8% of the time”. The reunited rate would be higher if pet owners kept their contact information updated in their pet’s chip. Visit the AMVA website to learn more about microchips. Lost or Found a pet? Visit the Lost and Found Pets web page.

The Importance of Rabies Vaccines

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), prior to 1960, most of rabies cases reported in the United States were in dogs. Since that time, the CDC reports that there has been about a 98% annual decline in rabies-related human deaths in the United States. Pet vaccinations and animal control programs have been a huge part of this decline. In 2018, the CDC reports that 92.7% of reported cases of rabies were found in wild animals, with bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes topping the list. Learn more about rabies at the CDC website. Visit the Animal Services Urban Wildlife website for more information about wildlife in our community.

Reasons to Spay or Neuter

The AVMA reports that “spaying and neutering prevent unwanted litters, help protect against some serious health problems, and may reduce behavioral problems associated with the mating instinct”. There is a reduced incidence of many forms of cancer when a pet has the procedure. Learn more about spaying or neutering your pet at the AVMA website.

TCAP’s new Arlington location will perform spays and neuters, by appointment, for owned pets on Mondays and Fridays. Pets being spayed or neutered on Monday’s also may also receive low-cost vaccines, microchips and other wellness services on the day of their procedure. Call 940-566-5551 to schedule an appointment, and for more information.

Help you, your pet, and the community by microchipping your pet with current contact information, a routine rabies vaccination schedule, and spay or neuter. Keep your pet license and registration current every year. Online licensing is available here.

Animal Services wishes everyone a safe, happy and healthy new year.