Rhea Co. Animal Shelter to offer free pet vaccines

EVENSVILLE — The Animal Shelter Alliance (ASA) of Rhea/Rhea County Animal Shelter will provide free vaccinations for Rhea County area pets.

The free vaccines are made possible through Petco Love’s national vaccination initiative “Vaccinated and Loved,” which is providing 1 million more free pet vaccines to existing animal welfare partners, including ASA of Rhea for family pets in need.

Parvovirus and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats — the most common deadly diseases affecting pets — are preventable with a simple vaccine. To ensure the health and wellness of beloved pets and to address this critical need, ASA of Rhea and Petco Love have partnered to make pet vaccines free and accessible.

ASA of Rhea/Rhea County Animal Shelter aims to vaccinate 400 pets through this effort. Vaccines distributed through the Petco Love initiative will be DAPPv Canine and CHP Feline vaccines. Rabies vaccines and microchips will also be available at the event for $10.

Rhea County residents are encouraged to come to the shelter at 9118 Back Valley Road, Evensville, TN, 37332, on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the month of September to receive free vaccine(s). Vaccines will be administered on a first come, first serve basis during these times. No appointments are necessary.

“Thanks to Petco Love, we can offer these important vaccines at no cost to pet owners,” said Dr. Matt Sachs, Vice President of the Board for ASA of Rhea. “We urge community members to take advantage of this resource to ensure the health and wellness of our community’s pets.”

“It is heartbreaking when any pet suffers or dies from a disease that could have been prevented. It is even worse when unvaccinated pets come into busy shelters, where these deadly diseases can spread quickly, resulting in multiple deaths, skyrocketing expenses and hindering saving pet lives,” said Susanne Kogut, Petco Love President. “By creating greater awareness and making this crucial preventative care more accessible to pets not currently receiving these lifesaving vaccines, we can prevent the dangerous spread of disease.”

In November 2023, Petco Love’s Vaccinated and Loved initiative reached its goal of distributing 2 million free pet vaccines for family pets and commits an additional 1 million vaccines to make pet families healthier.

For more information about vaccines, contact ASA of Rhea/Rhea County Animal Shelter at (423) 775-2029 or RheaCountyShelter@gmail.com. Learn more about Petco Love’s lifesaving impact at PetcoLove.org.

The ASA of Rhea mission is to be a passionate advocate for animals by finding quality forever homes, providing community education and promoting responsible animal ownership.

“Members, dedicated shelter staff, volunteers, a board of directors and a growing network of rescue organizations and foster homes help us honor this mission,” officials said. “We diligently assist in the efforts to end animal abuse, to prevent overpopulation, and to educate the community about animal welfare and compassionate treatment of all animals. We search for quality homes for every healthy and treatable animal that comes into the shelter.”