The Town of Holly Springs expects a record turnout for its rabies clinic on Saturday, March 21 with many pet owners searching for a low-cost way to protect four-legged family members in tough economic times.

Rabies shots are only $5 each (cash only) from 9 a.m. until noon March 21 in the Police Department parking lot. It’s behind Town Hall at 128 S. Main St. in downtown Holly Springs. Pets should be on leashes or in carriers.

Holly Springs Animal Control has ordered 300 doses of rabies vaccine for the clinic, which is held four times a year with Wake County Animal Control co-sponsoring. The clinics have drawn owners of 175-200 dogs and cats. This time, even more are expected.

“We’re getting a lot of people calling us every day about it,” said police Lt. Anthony Revels, who oversees Holly Springs’ Animal Control program. “People are saying that they’ve lost their jobs and need to get their dog or cat’s rabies shot current and can’t afford to take it to the vet.”

A veterinarian will administer the shots at the rabies clinic. Pet owners should bring some form of identification. For booster shots that last three years, people must show proof that their pet’s rabies inoculation is up-to-date. Otherwise, it will receive a one-year vaccination.

You don’t have to be a town resident to attend the rabies clinic in Holly Springs.

Microchip implantation for pet identification will not be offered this time in anticipation of a larger-than-usual crowd. Spaying and neutering will not be available, either, on March 21.

For more on the clinic, e-mail anthony.revels@hollyspringsnc.us or call (919) 567-4721.

State law requires that dogs and cats be vaccinated against rabies, beginning when they’re 4 months old. The first vaccination lasts for a year. Booster shots follow every three years. If people are unsure whether their dog or cat is inoculated against rabies, they should have it vaccinated.

Rabies clinics are not substitutes for a veterinarian’s examination, which covers a broad range of issues affecting a pet’s health. But Animal Control officers don’t want the cost of examination and vaccination at a vet’s office, which Revels said typically totals about $50, to hinder anyone from protecting their pet and family.

“Money’s tight,” he said. “A lot of people have been waiting since last fall to get their pet vaccinated because they knew we were going to do this again in the spring.”

Last summer in Holly Springs, an unvaccinated dog was euthanized after it was bitten by a rabid fox. Revels said the dog’s owner was unable to afford the cost of quarantining for six months.

Rabies clinics are time-consuming to organize and are not money-makers. Even so, Animal Control officers believe it’s time well-spent.

“We want make sure all pets in Holly Springs are vaccinated,” Revels said. “We don’t want someone to lose their pet because it was bitten by rabid animal.”