CASSOPOLIS — Cass County residents looking to invest in the health of their family’s furriest members will have two opportunities to do so this month, thanks to Cass County Animal Control.

Cass County Animal Control, 323 M-62, Cassopolis, will be hosting vaccination clinics from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 10 and Feb. 24. The shelter will be bringing in veterinarians from Bergman Small Animal PC to offer one- and three-year rabies vaccinations, as well as a five-way vaccination, which protects against canine distemper, canine hepatitis, adenovirus cough (kennel cough), parainfluenza and parvovirus. Vaccinations will be $20 each.

Animal Control is requesting that people reserve vaccinations for the clinics by calling the shelter at (269) 445-3701.

The vaccination clinic has been running in Cass County for a number of years, sometimes seeing more than 100 dogs in a single day.

The success of the clinic has been in part due to the low cost of the vaccinations provided, said Cass County Animal Control Director Ronald Butts.

“[The veterinarians] provide a special price for the clinic and you avoid some of the fees you get from going into an office,” Butts said. “That all adds up to making things a little more affordable for people.”

Though Butts said that rabies in the state of Michigan is not a huge concern, dogs over the age of four months are required by law to be vaccinated for the virus.

“Wild animals do carry the virus, so if your dog is outside, and hopefully your dog does get to spend some time outside, there is always a chance, a possibility that your dog can come into contact with the infect animals,” Butts said. “[Rabies] is a deadly virus. … People need to vaccinate their animals.”

The rabies vaccinations being offered at the clinic are the one-year shot, which is a first-time rabies vaccination that helps build immunity against the virus and the three-year shot, which is meant to act as a “booster-shot” for animals that have already been vaccinated against the virus.

The vaccination clinic not only provides a way for people to care for and keep their animals healthy, it also serves as a way for Cass County Animal Control to give back to the people of Cass County.

“The service we provide is just one way we can give back to the community,” Butts said. “That’s something we always strive for. This is something [Animal Control feels] we can provide for the community to get those vaccinations done at a little bit lesser of a cost, to save people some money in the long run.”