City of St. Joseph spring Rabies Clinic dates announced

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- The City of St. Joseph's Animal Services has set dates for this year's city-wide, low cost rabies vaccine clinics.

The rabies clinics are held during the first two weeks of May at locations across St. Joseph to make clinics easily accessible to the community.

During the clinics, local veterinarians volunteer their time to ensure pets receive the proper administrations, and to certify the vaccine administrations.

Animal Services staff will also be available to assist the public with the new online licensing platform and to administer microchips.

All clinics are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on:

• Monday, May 5 at Lindbergh Elementary School, located at 2812 St. Joseph, Ave.
• Tuesday, May 6 at Hosea Elementary School, located at 6401 Gordon St.
• Thursday May 8 at Church of the Nazarene, located at 2102 South 22nd St.
• Tuesday, May 13 at Skaith Elementary School, located at 4701 Schoolside Lane.
• Thursday, May 15 at Mark Twain Elementary School, located at 801 South 31st St.

A rabies vaccine will cost $5. Combination vaccines will also be available and will cost $10, cash only and paid separately to the participating veterinarian.

While normally a $10 cost, microchips will be provided free of charge to citizens of St. Joseph through a grant from Petco Love, as part of an initiative to reduce lost pets in the community, while supplies last.

Pet owners in the City are required to purchase an annual City registration or license for each of their pets.

The St. Joseph Animal Shelter has a new partnership with DocuPet, a leading pet licensing and lost pet recovery platform, to modernize and simplify the pet licensing process for residents.

The new system includes access to DocuPet's free 24/7 HomeSafe lost pet service, customizable ID tags and secure online pet profiles. The initiative is to help lost pets return home quickly and safely.

Pet licensing is mandatory in St. Joseph, however, licenses will no longer be sold onsite at the low-cost vaccination clinic.

Instead, staff will be able to assist pet owners with the new online process found on the city's Animal Services website.

The change aims to boost compliance and free up shelter space and resources for animals more in need.