Florida Department of Health and Volusia County Animal Services have partnered up for a free community event for pets and people.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

The Florida Department of Health and Volusia County Animal Services have partnered up for a joint drive-thru event this Saturday, September 18, offering free pet food, microchipping and rabies shots for pets, and COVID-19 vaccinations for people.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Volusia County Animal Services headquarters off Indian Lake Road in Daytona Beach.

“Our community has been deeply impacted by the pandemic, and that is why we continue to have these free events,” said Volusia County Animal Services Director Adam Leath. “Whether it’s microchipping, other services for your pet, or the COVID shot for you, we encourage anyone who needs any of these resources to come by on Saturday. It will be quick, and it will be contact-less.”

According to a release, participants do not need to exit their vehicles and are encouraged to wear a facial covering. Dogs should be on a leash while all other animals, including cats, should be in a carrier. The COVID-19 vaccine will also be a drive-thru service at the event, administered by a nurse, while participants remain in their vehicles.

If this is your first shot in a two-shot series, follow up with the Health Department, local hospital or another medical facility, pharmacy, Publix, Winn Dixie, Walmart, or other public site offering vaccinations to get your second shot.

Participants for the microchipping service will have a staff member remove the pet from the vehicle for the quick and painless procedure before returning pets to their owner. For expedited service and to print out the microchip consent form, visit https://bit.ly/3lELxbz.

This upcoming Saturday marks the seventh free event since last June hosted by Animal Services, which has microchipped more than 1,400 pets during these community events. Animal Services recently partnered with Volusia County Fire Rescue on a program enabling anyone who picks up a lost pet to bring it to a county fire station to scan the animal for a microchip.

“We want to ensure that we can return a lost pet to its family as fast as possible,” said Leath. “That’s where they belong. And the most important part of that is to make sure that your pets are microchipped.”