City of Rochester
News Release
(Wednesday, May 30, 2018) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren invites dog owners and their dogs to The Fast & The Furriest® benefit event from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, at the Animal Services Center, 184 Verona St. and adjacent Brown Square Park.
The event will include free distemper/parvovirus vaccinations along with rabies vaccinations at the walk-up clinic. Microchips are also being provided at no charge at the clinic. There are limited quantities of vaccinations and microchips (200 of each) so the free service will be provided only while supplies last. Owners seeking 3-year rabies vaccinations should bring vaccination records otherwise it will be recorded as a 1-year vaccination. Dog licensing will also be available onsite. License fees are $8.50 (altered) or $20.50 (un-altered).
In addition to the vaccination and chip clinic, the 12th annual event includes 10K and 5K races, a dog walk and a pet festival to highlight the City’s Animal Services agency. The event features live music performances by Travis Fitch, a dog playgroup demonstration, and activities for children including face painting, bounce house and fire safety booth. Pet contests for the furriest dog, best wag, best dog trick, hot dog bobbing, and owner/pet look-alike will be held. More information including online race registration is posted at www.vsas.org.
“Rochester Animal Services is an important community resource for residents and pet owners in Rochester, and The Fast & The Furriest® event is a great way for people to get to know the staff and volunteers who provide these services,” said Mayor Warren. “Our Animal Services division enhances the quality of life in Rochester and is a critical component as we work to create safer more vibrant neighborhoods, more jobs for our residents and better educational opportunities for our children.”
The purpose of the event is to spread awareness of services provided by Rochester Animal Services, as well as raise funds to help support the health and wellness of sheltered animals. Event volunteers and participants are invited to raise money and earn prizes by competing as individual fundraisers or as teams formed by friends, groups, businesses or clubs.
During the event, pet adoptions will be free for all dogs and cats. The shelter will be open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on June 2.
Major sponsors include: Lori’s Natural Foods; Monroe Veterinary Associates; Fleet Feet Sports; Invisible Fence® Brand; Wegmans; Annamaet Pet Foods; MM Development Advisors; and 24PetWatch.
Rochester Animal Services is open to the public 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday (with extended hours on Wednesdays until 7:30 p.m.), and is closed Sundays and select holidays. For more information on adoptions, spay and neuter, community outreach or volunteering, visit www.rochesteranimalservices.com or email AnimalServices@cityofrochester.gov.
The Verona Street Animal Society is dedicated to raising awareness and providing the resources necessary to enable Rochester Animal Services to more effectively serve the public need for animal care and control, pet sterilization and animal adoption services and, in cooperation with the City of Rochester, to support the mission of Rochester Animal Services. For more information about the Verona Street Animal Society, visit www.vsas.org or www.Facebook.com/VeronaStAnimalSociety.
For more information, contact Chris Fitzgerald, Director of Animal Services, at 428-7274, or by email at chris.fitzgerald@cityofrochester.gov.
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News Media: For more information, contact Press Officer
Jessica Alaimo, 428-7135.