Yikes, Watson is getting shots

Watson here and I just found out I’m getting shots. OK, I’m not thrilled, but after I heard my mom and dad talking about rabies I like the idea. It seems that a lot of pet owners are skipping shots because they think inoculations cause harm in animals.

I can’t imagine anyone not wanting their dog to get the rabies inoculation. We watched “Old Yeller,” and my mom cried like crazy when Yeller got rabies and had to be shot. Who in the world would wish that on their BFF (best furry friend)?

It seems pet parents are concerned about their buddy developing autism. How in the world would they diagnose that in a dog? Anyway, it seems the same folks who aren’t vaccinating their children aren’t doing their dogs either.

Children in the United States receive vaccines to prevent 14 different diseases, young dogs receive four: canine parvovirus, canine distemper, canine hepatitis and rabies. Unlike canine parvovirus, canine distemper, and canine hepatitis, rabies isn’t spread by feces or respiratory droplets; it’s contracted by bites from a rabid animal.

In the United States the animals most likely to transmit the virus are bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. It isn’t always wild animals because at one time dogs were a common source of rabies. Thanks to rabies vaccination programs that began in the 1940 the number of people who have contracted rabies from dogs has been greatly reduced.

So, I’m going for my shots, and I know I’ll be safe from rabies. A good motto for vaccination could be “Take the bite out of rabies and get your BFF vaccinated.”

XOXO Watson

IN NEED OF

Churchill Animal Protection Society (CAPS) needs garage sale items: gently used appliances, furniture, treadmills and miscellaneous items. No clothing. Drop off items at our storage unit, 1105 Taylor Place (Spring Valley Rentals), unit T 98, from 9-11 a.m. Aug. 26 , Sept. 2 and 9.

CAPS annual garage sale that will be held Sept. 15 and Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside at Oasis Community Church, 1520 S. Maine St.

Emergency donations to help with two recent surgeries performed on CAPS dogs. Any amount will help. Our surgery budget is greatly depleted.

Volunteers to walk dogs or play with cats. Call 775-423-7500 for details.

SHOUT OUT TO

Jeff and Jill Christensen for providing the storage units for the garage sale treasures that were donated. They are the owners of Jeff’s Copy Express and Spring Valley Rentals. We appreciate your support of CAPS. Thank you for the many years you have provided space for our garage sale and an outlet to sell our tickets. All our tails are wagging for you.

COME SEE US

CAPS will have some BFF’s at the Cantaloupe Festival, so stop by.

CAPS will be at Walmart on Sept. 16 with the Kissin’ Booth and a pooch who is puckered up. Come by to get your pooch smooch.

DON’T FORGET

August Pet Holidays: National Dog Day is Aug. 26.

CAPS annual garage sale that will be held Sept. 15 and Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside at Oasis Community Church, 1520 S. Maine St.

Flower Tree Nursery will be raffling a 20-gallon tree of your choice on Sept.15, and the winner doesn’t have to be present to win. The raffle tickets are available at Flower Tree, and they are $1 for one ticket and $5 for six tickets.

CONTACT CAPS

CAPS’ mailing address is P.O. Box 5128, Fallon, NV 89406. CAPS’ phone number is 775-423-7500. CAPS’ email address is caps@cccomm.net. Visit the CAPS website (www.capsnevada.com) and Facebook page (Churchill Animal Protection Society). Be sure to “Like” CAPS on Facebook because we are really likable.

Do you have questions, comments or a great story? Contact me at jkwmil@outlook.com.

Kathleen Williams-Miller, a CAPS volunteer, contributed this week’s column.