Petco Love Provides 1 Million Free Pet Vaccines | News | petproductnews.com – PetProductNews.com

Petco Love, a national nonprofit spearheading positive change for pets, is celebrating reaching its one-millionth free pet vaccine distribution for family pets. Today, due to the overwhelming need, Petco Love is re-commiting another million free vaccines through its Vaccinated and Loved initiative to help end life-threatening pet diseases.
The Vaccinated and Loved campaign, launched in August 2021, encourages Petco Love animal welfare partners to host free vaccine clinics, particularly targeting high-impact areas where fatal pet diseases (parvovirus and distemper in dogs, and panleukopenia in cats) are prevalent. Petco Love surveyed pet owners attending the free clinics to assess whether the initiative met its goal to reach pets most in need. Despite veterinarian recommendations requiring periodic vaccinations for these diseases, surveyed pet parents indicated only 37 percent of pets were previously vaccinated, and 42 percent had never seen a private vet. 
“Clearly this free vaccine initiative is making a difference for many pet parents and their pets. These vaccines prevent diseases that are not only extremely costly to treat but result in pets needlessly suffering and often dying. Proactively vaccinating vulnerable pets saves lives,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “Based on our survey results, we estimate this initiative reduced veterinary treatment costs by potentially $100 million, at a time when there is a veterinary shortage, and when treatment for pets is prohibitively expensive for some. 
Petco Love cautions pet owners that pets in certain states might be more at risk. Survey results showed that despite slightly higher average vaccination rates in the south (42 percent), parvovirus and distemper were still reported highest in this region, with Texas disproportionately holding the most count of both diseases. Panleukopenia was most reported in the West, with California accounting for the highest diagnosis.
“This year, we provided over 7,000 vaccines to our community pets,” said Terry Kebschull, director of Petco Love partner, El Paso Animal Services. “Our partnership with Petco Love to provide those vaccines is very important. These diseases are prevalent here in the community and if a pet encounters another pet that has those diseases, it protects them. Healthy pets make healthy and happy families, so it’s vital for our community and communities across the nation.”
Free vaccine clinics constitute one part of Petco Love’s broader initiative to make access to veterinary care available to pet households where cost remains a barrier to care, organization officials said. Petco Love also announced more than $1.6 million in Access to Care investment grants to nearly 170 partners across the U.S. These investments support vulnerable families and their pets by funding animal welfare organizations that provide vital community services, officials said. Services consist of veterinary care including preventatives and wellness, treatment for illness and injury, and spay/neuter services.
Pet owners in need of free pet vaccinations can visit freepetvaccines.org to find a participating clinic. Some clinics may permit advance registration and provide additional offerings such as discounted microchips and rabies vaccines, although quantities may be limited. Vaccines distributed under this initiative are DAPPv Canine and HCP Feline vaccines in partnership with Merck Animal Health.
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