Contact: Carol Battistini, Hendricks Humane, publicity@hendrickshumane.org, 317-850-7097

               Crystal Bugary, Petco Love, media@petcolove.org

Danville, IN (March 13, 2023) – Hendricks Humane will provide free vaccinations for Hendricks County family cats. The no-cost vaccines are made possible through Petco Love's new national vaccination initiative, which is providing one million free pet vaccines for family pets in need to existing animal welfare partners, including Hendricks Humane.

Parvovirus and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats — the most prevalent deadly diseases affecting pets — are preventable with a simple vaccine. An estimated 30% of pet parents do not take their pet to a veterinarian annually for preventative care. To ensure the health and wellness of our beloved pet cats and to address this critical need, Hendricks Humane and Petco Love have partnered to make cat vaccines free and accessible.

Hendricks Humane aims to vaccinate 500 cats through this effort. Vaccines distributed through the Petco Love initiative will be HCP Feline vaccines given to the cats in Hendricks Humane’s ‘cat spay/neuter day’ program.

“Thanks to Petco Love, we can offer these important vaccines at no cost to cat owners,” said Tricia Pierce, Hendricks Humane Operations Manager. “We urge community members to take advantage of our ‘cat spay/neuter days’ to also receive this free vaccine to ensure the health and wellness of their family cat.”

“It is heartbreaking when any pet suffers or dies from a disease that could have been prevented. It is further exacerbated when unvaccinated pets come into busy shelter kennels, where these deadly diseases can spread quickly, resulting in multiple deaths, skyrocketing expenses, and hindering saving pet lives,” said Susanne Kogut, Petco Love President. “By creating greater awareness and making this crucial preventative care more accessible to pets not currently receiving these lifesaving vaccines, we can prevent the dangerous spread of disease.”

For more information about vaccine distribution, contact Hendricks Humane at info@hendrickshumane.org. Learn more about Petco Love’s lifesaving impact at PetcoLove.org.

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About Hendricks Humane

Hendricks Humane Society is a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization founded in 1970 with the mission of being a "Voice for the Animals.” The community impact in 2022 included funding 1,218 spay/neuter surgeries for dogs and cats, distributing 30,046 pounds of food through its pet food pantry, and financially assisting owners of 38 pets with unexpected medical issues.

About Petco Love

Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since our founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, we’ve empowered animal welfare organizations by investing $330 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We’ve helped find loving homes for more than 6.5 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide.

Our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating tools animal lovers need to reunite lost pets, and lead with passion, inspiring and mobilizing communities and our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us. Is love calling you? Join us.  Visit petcolove.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to be part of the lifesaving work we lead every day.