Vaccinate: Be the hero your pet thinks you are

Vaccinate: Be the hero your pet thinks you are


Just like some parents won’t have their children vaccinated, certain people refuse the same for their pets. The reasons sound familiar.

Although dogs don’t get autism — and studies have proven that vaccines don’t cause it in humans — some anti-vaxxers believe that vaccination causes canine autism. Others think vaccination is so hard on a dog’s immune system that it’s left too weak to fight any disease.

Because many pet parents have never seen the disease in question play out in an animal, they think vaccination is a waste of time and money. But ironically, the costs are because vaccines are so good at preventing the infection. Nonetheless, up to a quarter of pooch parents and 40 percent of feline fanciers don’t get their pets vaccinated.

By chipping away at community — or herd — immunity, every unvaccinated pet can be a danger to other animals. Remember, your decisions have consequences beyond your own pet.

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