CONTACT:
Lee County Animal Services
(239) 432-2090 Ext. 241
Lee
County Animal Services Offers Hurricane Preparedness Pet Clinic
Fort Myers, Florida, 7/3/02 –
In Southwest Florida the biggest threats from hurricanes occur during August
through October. Lee County Animal
Services is encouraging pet owners to prepare now in case of a hurricane or
other disaster. While people
make plans to secure their homes and families in case of a hurricane, many
forget to make sure their pets will be safe and protected until it’s too late.
Lee County Animal Services will
have information on how to prepare pets in case of a hurricane at its annual
Hurricane Preparedness Pet Clinic. The
clinic will be held July 27, 2002 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the shelter, 5600
Banner Drive, Fort Myers (next to the Sheriff’s Dept. off Six Mile Cypress
Parkway).
At the clinic low-cost vaccinations, including rabies, will be offered for $5.00 each. Pet owners are always advised to keep their pets up-to-date on vaccinations. However, during a disaster it is even more important as prevention against the spread of disease. County licenses ($5.00) and nationally registered microchip IDs ($10.00) will also be available. To qualify for the low-cost vaccinations pets must be microchipped or already have a microchip ID. Pet owners on public assistance may receive a microchip ID at no cost by contacting Animal Services prior to July 27.
The microchips, regularly
$25.00, will be available for the discounted price of $10.00 throughout the
entire month of July.
The microchip ID is a small
computer chip about the size of a grain of rice and is implanted by injection
under the animal’s skin between the shoulder blades.
All animal control agencies and most humane organizations and
veterinarians have scanners that read the microchip’s unique number that
identifies the owner. Permanent
identification, such the microchip, is the only way to ensure that pets can be
identified and returned to their owners following a disaster.
It is also very beneficial any time an animal’s ID tags are lost.
For more information about this
event or how to prepare your pet in case of a hurricane, visit Animal Services
web site at www.leelostpets.com
or call 432-2083.