The Ontario SPCA hosts a free rabies vaccination clinic to mark World Rabies Day
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bracebridge, ON (Sept. 29, 2025) – To mark World Rabies Day and help protect the community, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society and Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amerique du Nord (VWB/VSF) held a vaccination clinic in Bracebridge, protecting 15 dogs against the deadly disease.
Held at the Ontario SPCA Muskoka Animal Centre on Sept. 27, the clinic provided core vaccines and free rabies vaccines to dogs to assist families who may otherwise face barriers to veterinary care. Rabies vaccinations for this clinic are donated by VWB/VSF, made possible through generous financial support from Merck Animal Health.
“Rabies is a fatal disease, but it’s one we can prevent. Vaccinating our pets is the most effective way to keep both animals and people safe,” says Victoria Hiorth, Central Regional Manager of Community Outreach Services, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “By offering this clinic to mark World Rabies Day, we’re making it easier for families who may otherwise face challenges to protect their animals and give them the healthy lives they deserve.”
Each year, Sept. 28 marks World Rabies Day – a time dedicated to raising awareness about ending the fatal zoonotic disease across the globe, including right here in Canada. This is a global movement aimed at supporting the World Health Organization’s “Zero by 30,” which is a global goal to eliminate human deaths caused by rabies transmitted by dogs by the year 2030. VWB/VSF provides rabies vaccinations to participating clinics, along with volunteer veterinary and administration staff.
For more information on the Ontario SPCA’s mobile animal wellness services, visit ontariospca.ca/mobileservices
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Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
905-898-7122 x 375
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been changing the lives of animals for over 150 years. The Society provides care, comfort and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario. It values all animals and advocates to treat them with respect and kindness. The Society strives to keep pets and families together and does so through a variety of community support services, such as sheltering and adoptions, including emergency sheltering, feral cat management programs, animal transfers, food distribution, humane education, animal advocacy, and spay/neuter services.
The Ontario SPCA does not receive annual government funding and relies on donations to provide programs and services to help animals in need. To learn more, or to donate, visit ontariospca.ca. Charitable Business # 88969-1044-RR0002.
The Ontario SPCA Muskoka Animal Centre serves communities situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, which includes the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations, collectively known as the Three Fires Confederacy. The Huron-Wendat and the Haudenosaunee Nations have also walked on this territory over time. Today Muskoka is home to three sovereign nations: Wahta Mohawks First Nations, Moose Deer Point First Nation and the Moon River Métis. These lands are covered by the Williams Treaty (of 1923), the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 and the J. Collins land purchase (of 1785).
About VWB/VSF
Founded in 2005, Veterinarians Without Borders North America / Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord (VWB/VSF) is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to improving community health through enhanced animal health. Using a “One Health” approach, we work with diverse partners to strengthen community-centered animal health systems, directly benefiting the people and environments that rely on them. As the North American affiliate of VSF International, VWB/VSF operates independently, with ongoing programs in Africa, Asia, Northern Canada, and Europe. Our efforts focus on disease prevention, sustainable livelihoods, equitable access to resources, capacity building, and humanitarian relief, reaching over 1 million people annually. Learn more: www.vwb.org.
