Detroit Dog Rescue offers free vaccination clinic

Want to show your pet a little love in time for Valentine’s Day?

“Have a Heart, Save a Heart,” a free vaccination clinic Detroit Dog Rescue and VIP Pet Care are hosting from 1-5 p.m. Friday at Pet Supplies Plus, 18956 Livernois, gives city residents a chance to protect their furry companions.

“While we consider spending time or doing something special with the one we love, Detroit Dog Rescue wants to also remind Detroiters to think about the healthy well-being of their four-leg loved one during Valentine’s Day,” said Kristina Rinaldi, executive director of Detroit Dog Rescue, in a statement.

Since her group, which operates the city’s first no-kill rescue center, often finds canines with health conditions that could have been prevented through proper care, Rinaldi said, “our hope is to give dog owners an opportunity to have a heart and save a heart by making sure their dog is up-to-date on vaccinations and wellness check up.”

The event is free to Detroiters with proof of residency such as a driver’s license or state identification, organizers said.

Pet owners also are offered free vaccines for rabies, parvo, lepto and bordetella. Inoculations are performed on-site.

Other services available include microchip identification ($15) and heartworm/Lyme testing ($29).

Detecting heartworm disease in pets is important, said Dr. Michael Hood, a veterinarian at Greenfield Animal Hospital in Southfield.

“This preventable disease is costly to treat and is uncomfortable for dogs being treated,” he said in a statement. “And treatment doesn’t end at the hospital; these patients (dogs) have to have strict limitations on their activity for around eight weeks. This is why the Have a Heart, Save a Heart campaign is so important.”

For information: http://detroitdogrescue.com/, Facebook@DetroitDogRescue or call (313) 458-8014.