Get your pet shots and a microchip in Crystal Lake

Submitted by McHenry County Department of Health

If your pet wanders from the safety of its home, the chance of being reunited with your family is greater if your pet has a microchip for quick identification and a current rabies vaccination/registration record.

McHenry County Animal Control & Adoption Center will host rabies vaccination and microchip event from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 23, at its Crystal Lake facility, 100 N Virginia St., intersection of Woodstock Street and Route 14. No appointments are necessary; first come, first served.

Rabies vaccinations are $10 for one year or $25 for a three-year tag. Registration tags are required by law; registration fees are separate and required at time of rabies vaccination. The fee chart is posted on the MCAC website www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/health/pdfDocs/AC/RabVac4-07.pdf. Discounts for seniors apply and for pets who have been previously spayed or neutered when purchasing registration tags. Microchips are $15.

Rabies vaccinations provide your pet with the best protection against this deadly disease. Unlike dog tags and collars which can fall off or be removed, microchipping is a more permanent form of pet identification. Animal microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are typically implanted by a vet just beneath the surface of the skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to receiving vaccination through a needle and is painless to pets.

Adoptions, at a cost of $80, also will be available and include age-appropriate vaccinations, spay/neuter, FELV & FIV testing, microchip, heartworm and free first veterinarian visit at participating veterinarians. To view available pets, visit www.mcac.petfinder.org.