MUSCATINE, Iowa–After making updates to chapter eight of the city’s code of ordinances, the City of Muscatine reminds pet owners that they must register all dogs and cats over six months of age. To make it easier for pet owners to register their animals, the city has waived the registration fee for all neutered and spayed animals through April 30. The Muscatine Humane Society and It Takes a Village Animal Rescue and Resources have held and will continue to hold events to help pet owners properly vaccinate, identify, and register their pets, helping keep them and others in the city safe.
April 8, the Muscatine Humane Society held a low-cost vaccination, microchip, and identification clinic at the Canine Activity Center of Muscatine. Attendees could get their dog or cat vaccinated for rabies for $10, have them microchipped for $15, and have an identification tag engraved for them for $12. The City of Muscatine also attended the event to allow people to register their pets. The event even gave people time to meet Muscatine’s new animal control officer, Courtney Patel. As these events have proven quite popular over the years, Muscatine Humane Society Director Chris McGinnis hopes to hold more in the near future.
Earlier, on March 19, It Takes a Village hosted its first Promoting Responsible Pet Ownership event. Thanks to sponsorships from Alex Wolfe, Bosch Pest Control, CBI Bank & Trust, Freers & Sons Tree Service, Kent Nutrition Group, Massage FIT, Petco Love, and Steven Howe, they provide free rabies and DAPP vaccines and microchips for 60 dogs. The city also provided an opportunity for pets over six months old to get registered.
On April 30, It Takes a Village plans to hold another free vaccination, microchip, and registration clinic for both dogs and cats. The event will take place at the Salvation Army of Muscatine County, located at 1000 Oregon Street, Muscatine, from 1 to 5 p.m. To serve more people, they encourage anyone planning on attending the clinic to contact them by email to register in advance. Meagan Koehler, founder of It Takes a Village, hopes may pet owners will take advantage of this opportunity: “We love being a part of the solution to the many animal welfare issues our community (and most others) face every day. Improving the overall health of the pets in our community is a win for everyone.”