PAWS for Life Community Day
Oct 08, 2021
Read more about PAWS Chicago’s efforts to provide free vaccinations for 650 pets during Back of the Yards wellness event for pets and people!
On Saturday, October 2, the PAWS for Life team hosted the Community Day wellness event at the Seward Elementary School in Back of the Yards. We were thrilled to surpass our goal and provide free rabies and distemper vaccinations for 650 dogs and cats in one day!
A team of 60+ volunteers, veterinarians, vet techs, and PAWS Chicago veterinary apprentices worked together to vaccinate pets and make 80 appointments for future free spay/neuter and transportation to our Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic over the coming weeks.
“There’s such a demand for vet services in Back of the Yards, Englewood, West Englewood, the communities that we serve. There’s so much love for animals here and unfortunately there are no veterinary resources,” said Laurie Maxwell, PAWS Chicago Director of Community Outreach.
“The event’s turnout is a testament to residents’ commitment to their pets. People started lining up three hours before the start of the event to ensure their pets had veterinary care. Even though the event ran a little over our end time because of the volume, it was worth it to serve such dedicated pet owners,” Laurie said.
Our PAWS for Life program fills the pet resource vacuum in under-served communities, reducing pet overpopulation, and preventing animals from ending up in shelters. The Community Day compliments PAWS for Life’s weekly canvassing efforts in Englewood, West Englewood, and Back of the Yards. Since the inception of PAWS for Life in 2014, the program has served 7,600 families and 16,400 pets.
We are grateful for our community partners who helped make Community Day possible – Increase the Peace and La Casa Norte who provided on-site and future in-home COVID-19 vaccinations to community residents, and the Banfield Foundation who generously donated all pet vaccines and flea & tick preventative medicine!
Watch Community Day media coverage on CBS 2 Chicago.