Watermelon Mountain Ranch Animal Center helps make sure dogs and cats will be well-protected from various illnesses, holding regular low-cost vaccination clinics at Cottonwood Mall.

The latest event, which will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the dog park on the northwest corner of the mall, will be a drive-thru clinic where people remain in their vehicles and roll down the windows so workers can administer shots.

Sara Heffern, Watermelon Mountain Ranch’s executive director, said the shelter also plans to schedule quarterly events.

“That way, they’re not having to get out, unload everyone, get back in… We’re trying to make it as quick and easy for the public as we can,” she said. “We’ll probably hold another one in the fall.”

Heffern said the vaccinations include distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza and parvovirus (DHPP) shots for dogs, the annual feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia (FVRCP) shots for cats, as well as the one-year and three-year rabies shots for both species.

Watermelon Mountain Ranch Animal Center will hold a vaccination clinic and pet adoption event on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021. This dog, Nick, is scheduled to be at the adoption event.
(Courtesy photo)

People can also get their pets microchipped, although they’ll have to get out of the car for that.

A pet adoption event will also take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Pet adoption events are being held the second Saturday of every month, Heffern said.

Heffern also stressed the importance of getting those vaccinations out of the way sooner rather than later.

“Vet clinics are super overwhelmed right now,” she said, adding that people could end up on a long waitlist just to get an appointment with their regular veterinarian. “(The event’s) a much more cost-effective option for the public.”

For more information on future vaccination clinic announcements, visit wmranch.org.