Friends of the Gilmer Animal Shelter (FOGAS) will continue their efforts to provide low-cost pet vaccinations this Saturday.
The local nonprofit’s second discount pet vaccination clinic will be held Saturday, May 22, 8 a.m.-noon, in the county courthouse parking lot behind Dalton State College.
“You don’t have to be a Gilmer County resident for this one. We’ll take anyone,” said FOGAS member Sylvia Harris.
The drive-thru clinic for dogs and cats is also a FOGAS fundraiser, noted Harris. The group will receive a portion of the proceeds, which will allow for more discount clinics to be held. Almost 350 pet vaccinations were given at the first clinic held last September.
“Our goal is to be able to do two (vaccination clinics) a year, one in the spring and one in the fall,” Harris said.
Vaccinations will be provided by staff of Animal Medical Clinic of Jasper. Vaccine costs are as follows: rabies (one year) – $10, DHCPP (distemper/hepatitis/parvo) for puppies – $15, DHLPP (distemper/hepatitis/leptospirosis/parainfluenza/parvo) for dogs – $15, feline leukemia for cats and kittens – $20 and bordetella (kennel cough) – $15. Payment will be accepted only in the form of exact cash or check.
The clinic will be going on the same time as the Ellijay Farmers Market, which is held in same parking lot. Harris provided instructions for how clinic customers should exit the parking lot after having their pets treated.
“Last year we had trouble with people exiting the parking lot and going to the left of the Senior Center, which is a one-way. They should go back out to the right down toward the (Gilmer Arts) Playhouse,” she said.
“We will be at the very back of the parking lot, near the curb closest to where the farmers market is.”
FOGAS plans to hold another of its discount spay-neuter clinics in July. Some vouchers for that clinic will be sold at a lower cost to clients of the Gilmer Community Food Pantry, Harris noted.
“We’re going to partner with the food pantry and sell $10 certificates to food pantry recipients. If there’s anything we don’t sell there, we will set up a date to sell the rest of them at Tractor Supply,” she said.