Rabies vaccine campaign reaches 141 pets

By DAVID L. DYE

Herald Staff Writer

HERMITAGE — Tails of Hope’s latest rabies vaccine campaign served nearly three times as many pets as last year.

Throughout the month of September, Tails of Hope spay and neuter clinic in Hermitage offered free vaccines as part of a campaign to raise awareness and observe World Rabies Day on Sept. 28.

Tails of Hope Executive Director Soraya Hejazi said this year marked the clinic’s third annual campaign, with 141 free rabies vaccines provided to pets from across western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.

Hejazi said the number of pets and families served by the program continues to increase each year, with 36 vaccinations provided in 2022 and 51 in 2023.

The free vaccines were offered during spay-andneuter appointments, in addition to designated vaccine clinic days.

World Rabies Day is a project of the Global Alliance for Rabies Control and is observed on Sept. 28, the anniversary of French scientist Louis Pasteur’s death. Aside from inventing the process of pasteurization, Pasteur developed the first rabies vaccine.

This year marked the World Health Organization’s 18th annual World Rabies Day, which featured the theme “Breaking Rabies Boundaries.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION on Tails of Hope, visit tailsofhopewpa. org or “Tails of Hope, Inc. W PA” on Facebook.

Janis Sincek brought her dog Gracie to get a free rabies vaccination at the Tails of Hope spay and neuter clinic.

Contributed