Rescue animals are often the hardest hit in all areas. Isolation, fear, sometimes getting sick, having to be without true companionship for days or months.
There are no rules for how many times one can vaccinate animals for the same disease. Multiple injections are given immediately upon admission, sometimes over & over depending on the animal's journey. Shelters have the ability to test titers with a drop of blood in 23 minutes. But vaccines are given without hesitation "because it's faster and cheaper. "For shelters, vaccinating every intake is far more economical than testing each animal, many of whom would test negative anyway." That is just not true.
Veterinarians also have the ability to do in-house titer tests. Like shelters they often administer vaccines without offering the pet parent an in-house titer test because it's "faster & cheaper."
See "Titers & Nosodes" page for more details.
Rescue Animals
All dogs over 4 weeks are automatically given DA2PP & Bordatella at time of admission.
They may receive automatic non-core/additional vaccines based on veterinarian discretion.
All dogs over 12 weeks are automatically given Rabies.
All cats cats over 4 weeks are automatically given FVRCP at time of admission.
All cats cats over 12 weeks are automatically given Rabies.
They may receive automatic non-core/additional vaccines based on veterinarian discretion.
Having been just vaccinated at another shelter or rescue, is not an exception if physical records aren't present.
Dogs and cats too reactive to give vaccines will be sedated and given vaccines.
Pregnancy & nursing are not an exception.
Mild to moderate illness is not an exception.
Injury is not an exception.
Malnutrition is not an exception.
Fever is not an exception.
Spending on US municipal animal control & shelters is estimated at over $2 billion annually in tax payer dollars.
Total revenue for the entire U.S. animal shelter industry (municipal and private) is estimated to be approximately $5.3 billion to $6.3 billion annually.
Animal Shelters