CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Carter County community had the chance to protect their pets from diseases like rabies and much more on Saturday at the Elizabethton-Carter County Animal Shelter’s Low-Cost Pet Vaccination Clinic.

The clinic is made possible thanks to the shelter itself, Friends of the Elizabethton-Carter County Animal Shelter, and East Tennessee Spay and Neuter (ETSN). Event leaders told News Channel 11 they hope to host the low-cost vaccine clinic twice a year–the next happening in the fall.

“We’ve been able to go ahead and put this thing together where we can save people money, but more importantly, get their animals and their pets protected,” Michael Barnett, Chairman of both Friends of the Carter County Animal Shelter and ETSN, told News Channel 11.

“Because we realize in some of the surrounding communities there’s been some outbreaks of distemper and other things of that nature. And it’s very important to keep your animals up to date on their shots and things of that nature to protect them, especially the ones that go outside or spend a lot of their time outside.”

Animals 3 months or older were eligible to be vaccinated. Flea treatments were also sold for ten dollars, with funds directly benefitting the construction of a planned spay-neuter clinic at the shelter in Carter County.