Contact: Ria Brown, Public Information Specialist
Lee County Animal Services
(239) 432-2090 Ext. 241
Lee
County Animal Services Offers Free Rabies Shots
to Promote Annual Pet Identification and Vaccination Campaign
Fort
Myers, Florida, March 7, 2003 – Everyday Lee County Animal Services receives
numerous calls from pet owners who have lost their companion animals and other
citizens that have found pets with no identification. A fact that is not surprising considering that over 9,400 of
the nearly 13,000 animals taken in by the shelter last year were strays.
Only about 2 percent of those pets were wearing identification that would
have ensured their safe return home.
"What
makes this even more tragic is how few of these animals are ever reunited with
their owners," says Scott Trebatoski, Director of Lee County Animal
Services. Only 11 percent of dogs
and less than 2 percent of cats taken in by the shelter were claimed in Lee
County in 2002.
To
improve these odds, Lee County Animal Services will hold its annual Tag
Day Vaccination and Identification Clinic on Saturday, April 5, 2003 from
9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the shelter, 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers.
Pet owners may protect their pets
from disease with a free rabies vaccination when they purchase their annual
county license and a Microchip ID, both for just $20.00. The cost will be only $8.00 for pets already microchipped.
“The
Microchip ID will better help us identify and return lost pets," says
Trebatoski. Pets can lose ID
tags but the microchip is a permanent form of identification. With over 1,000 animals a month entering the facility
strays can only be held for five days. If
they are not claimed after five days they may be adopted to someone else or may
have to be euthanized due to the shortage of space.
For
more information on Tag Day, contact Lee County Animal Services at (239)
432-2083 or www.LeeLostPets.com.