KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Have a story idea to share with Tod? Send him an e-mail.
Pet owners interested in saving money or seeking convenience know that the Jackson County Regional Animal Shelter is the place to be on the first Friday of each month.
“I definitely recommend it if you're trying to get all your vaccines or if you have multiple pets like me,” Kaela Jordan said. “... It's definitely a pocket-saver.”
Jordan brought her three dogs — Diva, Black and Henry — to the pet shelter in eastern Independence for the clinic, which is operated each month by the Pet Resource Center of Kansas City.
“We are here every first Friday of the month at the Jackson County Regional Animal Shelter offering affordable vaccinations for pet owners,” Pet Resource Center Marketing Director Madison Brown said. “Dog owners can get a full set of vaccines for only $50. Cat owners can get a full set of vaccines for only $40. Puppies and kittens are $25, so you really can't beat these prices.”
Owners don’t even have to deal with the hassle of dragging their pets into the clinic.
“We kind of do all the hard work for these pet owners,” Brown said. “All you guys have to do is show up and wait in your car. We'll come out to you. We'll bring the pets in and out, so you'd never leave your car.”
The clinic runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but some pet owners line up hours before the event starts.
“You can tell how important it is by how busy it is,” Christina Heinen, the director of Independence’s Health and Animal Services, said. “Every single month, they are overwhelmed by the number of people who come out. ... There's an incredible need in Independence for that low-cost vet care. People out here, we love our animals — we do — but we know the economy has hit everyone extra hard.”
The Pet Resource Center of Kansas City is happy to provide pet owners with a break.
“We come and we bring the party,” Brown said. “We're ready to start vaccinating these pets, and we love it. We love the energy out here.”
The clinic treated roughly 150 animals on Friday.
“It's definitely a wonderful resource,” Jordan said.
The Pet Resource Center of Kansas City’s permanent clinic is located at 1116 E. 59th Street in Kansas City, Missouri.
It operates two drive-thru vaccine clinics each month. The first is always at the Jackson County Regional Animal Shelter, 21001 Missouri 78 in Independence, and the other rotates through various locations in the Kansas City area.
“Gladstone, Smithville, Olathe, areas like that,” Brown said. “... Check out our social media pages. On our Facebook page, we have an events tab. We’re posting all of our upcoming drive-thru and our sit-and-serve vaccination clinics. Then, they’re also on our website.”
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