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Guest Column: WAAG clinic like A Family Reunion

It's spring! It is the time of year when pet hair fills the air. I, for one, cannot figure out how my companion animals can shed so much fur and not have shrunk down to nothing. It's amazing.

I'm also foster caring for "Jack Frost," a big white cat. No one comes near my house without at least a few strands of Jack's hair attaching to them. It's as though they are being tagged with a migratory ID.

All this flying fur reminds me of one thing: it's time for the Williams Animal Action Group's (WAAG) 28th Annual Rabies Vaccination Clinic. Our yearly inoculation event will be on Saturday, at the Williams Rodeo Barn from noon to 3 p.m.

Dr. Rob Moore of the Agassiz Animal Clinic will be providing rabies vaccinations for only $10. This includes the legal certificate and the numbered metal tag. Our stalwart WAAG volunteers will be suffering writing's cramp and blisters from helping to get the paperwork filled out at three stations. This keeps the lines moving quickly. Treat them gently. It is difficult work.

The city of Williams, a co-sponsor, will have city licenses available for dogs and cats. The licenses for dogs are cheaper if you show proof of spay or neuter. So bring the surgery bill or WAAG form as proof. City licenses are $10 if your dog is altered, $25 for fertile dogs. Cats get a one-time only license of $5 for altered cats only. Your cat or dog must have a current rabies vaccination to get licensed.

A companion cat or dog must be at least 12 weeks old to have a rabies shot. They cannot be sick, pregnant or nursing a litter. Do not bring any sick animals in to see Dr. Moore as he will be unable to treat them. Besides, folks doing that will make me real grumpy.

Does your critter need a rabies vaccination? If it has never had a rabies shot the answer is yes. If your pet had its very first shot last year, the answer is yes. The first rabies vaccination is valid for one year. After that the booster shots are good for three years. If your fuzzy wonder had a booster shot in 2010, it's due for another.

Here's how you can help us out at the clinic:

1. Keep your pets outside until you have completed the paperwork. Then bring them in to see the vet. Tell the doorkeepers about any pooping. We will have bags to help you pick it up.

2. Ask for help from our doorkeepers, if you need it. We have leashes and carriers to loan out. All dogs must be on leashes and all cats in carriers.

3. Bring your old rabies certificates with updated addresses and phone information. If you have no old certificates, bring a paper with your pet's name, breed, color, gender, age and your name. This helps us not to have to shoot questions over the crowd.

4. Exact change is very helpful and should be easy this year.

5. Let us know of any "code yellow" or "code brown" pet accidents so we can promptly clean them up. Here I am, the president, and that always seems to by my volunteer job...

WAAG and Dr. Moore will be able to provide only the rabies vaccination. However, once again, Bob and Tansy Kuerner of Williams Feed and Pet Company will be on hand selling distemper/parvo combination shots for dogs and a nasal drops vaccination for cats for $10 each. You must administer these inoculations yourself. Thank you Bob and Tansy for helping to keep our local animals safe from disease.

WAAG will have our usual plethora of donation cans here and there at the clinic. Any size donation is welcome. We also collect aluminum cans to turn in for cash. Smashed flat cans are the best, allowing us to haul more at a time to Flagstaff. Even the Williams-Grand Canyon News, a co-sponsor of the vaccination clinic, saves cans for us.

WAAG is hoping the weather will be good and we expect a great turn-out at the clinic. It is always inspiring to see the well-loved, varied, and happy companion animals. Okay... there are the two snarling Chihuahuas that make us put on welding gloves. But everyone else is nice! It's like a big yearly family reunion where we show off our "kids."

Remember the 28th Annual Williams Animal Action Group's Rabies Vaccination Clinic is Saturday at the Williams Rodeo Barn, noon to 3 p.m. For more information, to donate, or give us aluminum cans, call Kali at (928) 635-2595.

See you there with all your wonderful, furry friends.


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