Ontario Low Cost Rabies Clinics: Timely with rabies outbreak

Dr. Jeff Rabinovich from the Bridletowne Warden Animal Hospital, PJ’s Pets, PetCulture and HomeSafe™ are coming together to once again offer low cost rabies and microchip clinics in Ontario.

Dr. Rabinovich is committed to the health of animals in the community - not just their physical health by providing affordable vaccinations, but also their well-being if they ever become lost.

Five years ago, he was asked to hold rabies clinics at two PJ’s Pets Centres. “We put together a plan that would account for staffing, public awareness, and low cost, while providing the public with affordable Rabies immunization, microchip implantation, and Petlynx (HomeSafe™) registrations,” Rabinovich told InfoStream.

Over the years, the number of clinics expanded. Last year 1,300 animals were vaccinated and 600 animals were implanted with microchips, and provided with lifetime subscriptions to the HomeSafe™ Return to Owner (RTO) service.

Clinics begin on April 30th this year.

PJ’s Pets and PetCulture are providing locations, logistics and promotion, Bridletown Warden Animal Hospital is providing veterinary services, PetLynx is supplying HomeSafe™ lifetime subscriptions and CDMV is providing competitive pricing for microchips. A collaboration that enriches the pet owner and public health experience.

The cost for these services is $25 per rabies vaccine, $25 per microchip/HomeSafe™ registration combo, or $50 for both including HST (cash only).

“In Southern Ontario that there has been an increased incidence in raccoon rabies. This may very well swell the numbers of people that seek vaccinations for their pets,” said Rabinovich.

Ninety-two rabies cases have been discovered - 90 of the raccoon rabies strain which hasn’t been seen in Ontario since 2005.

Since the beginning of April, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has distributed over 450,000 ONRAB rabies vaccine baits in the rabies control zones by airplane, helicopter and ground staff to combat the outbreak.

HomeSafe™ is North America’s only Automated National Online Registry and Lifetime Return to Owner (RTO) service for pets. Pet owners use any online device to maintain current information about their pet without charge during a lifetime of human/animal experiences.