Cheap vaccinations this weekend

Michigan has the worst unemployment rate of all the states, and Oakland County isn’t faring much better than the state.
My dog’s annual trip to the vet, to update his vaccinations, usually costs upwards of $120.
If my husband or I were to lose our job, paying that would be a real burden.
On the other hand, taking preventative health measures for your pet is the best way to protect your wallet from vet bills that result from sickness or disease.
Not vaccinating your pet is taking a real risk, both to your pet’s health and to your wallet.
So if you’re down on your luck in the job and cashflow department — which many of us Michiganians obviously are — take advantage of the low-cost vaccination clinics scheduled right here in the county.
One is coming up this weekend, and here’s all the details.
It’s from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at the Centerstage Rental Hall & QTMC, Inc., 586 N. Perry in Pontiac.
For $10, your dog — so long as it’s older than 6 weeks — can get a distemper/parvo vaccine.
Dogs and cats older than 3 months can also get a 1-year rabies vaccine. That’s the big one, really. You need it to license your pet and it’s protection against one of the nastiest diseases that can hurt both our pets and ourselves.
For the same price, kittens and cats 6 weeks and older will also be given a distemper vaccine.
At $10, that’s a really good deal.
Got a dog or cat that’s recently given birth? Bring the whole litter down and get them all vaccinated for just $25.
The clinic is open to pets from any corner of Oakland County, and Pontiac residents can also pick up 2009 dog licenses.
It’s pretty easy to find Centerstage too. If you’re unfamiliar with Pontiac, here’s some quick directions. Take I-75 to exit 81 for Lapeer Road, or M-24. You want to go south on Lapeer Road, toward Pontiac.
Once you cross Walton, you’ve entered Pontiac and Lapeer Road becomes Perry Street. It’s just a few more miles south to find the rental hall, which will be on the left between Martin Luther Kind and Wide Track.
The clinic is put on by The Animal Care Network, Centerstage & QTMC and the City of Pontiac. Let’s thank all of them for helping us keep our pets healthy!