Gonzales Animal Control will provide free rabies shots

Gonzales dog and cat owners will get a chance to get their pets vaccinated at the Gonzales Animal Control Free Rabies shots event on Saturday, May 4.

Melissa Cunningham, of Gonzales Animal Control, has been working with many vet clinics and different organizations to provide rabies vaccines for those in the community, she said.

“Pecan Valley Vet Clinic’s Dr. (John) Withers is sponsoring the clinic along with Best Friends Animal Society, and EMS is giving us their old EMS building before they sell it. And of course, I'm getting the support from the city to provide this for our city,” Cunningham said.

Since January, Gonzales Animal Control reported 14 animal bite cases, and out of 14 of them, two animals were vaccinated, Cunningham said.

“If the animal bites the human and the animal had been exposed to rabies, it can pass that on to a human. It's deadly. Rabies is still very much something to be afraid of and to make sure you that you take care of your pets, so your children and your family doesn't get rabies,” Cunningham said.

Rabies is transmitted through saliva and Cunningham said they have reported two positive rabies cases from skunks in the city, she said.

Last year, Lavaca County and Victoria Country had the highest number of reported rabid animals in the area.

State law requires dogs and cat owners to have their pets vaccinated against rabies, and Cunningham said they’ll be distributing 100 rabies shots at the old EMS Building, 1724 Hickston, from 8 a.m. to noon.

“Just make sure that you have your dogs on a leash and your cats in a carrier. Your animals have to be four months or older in order to get a vaccine and spread the word and hopefully we can protect our citizens and our furry babies as well in this process,” Cunningham said.