By Mike Morsch, Executive editor
There are a lot of cat and dog idioms out there: the cat’s out of the bag, sick as a dog, there’s no room to swing a cat, the dog days of summer, it’s raining cats and dogs.
Then there’s fighting like cats and dogs. That’s one idiom that Doug Davidson finds more practical than the others.
Mr. Davidson, manager of environmental health services for Hightstown, Robbinsville and West Windsor, wants to make sure that the cats and dogs don’t actually fight like cats and dogs. That’s why he’s on hand at the free rabies clinics the health department offers, like the one held Dec. 1 at the Hightstown First Aid Squad Building on Bank Street in Hightstown.
“I was there, just making sure everything was running smoothly and that there were no glitches or hiccups,” said Mr. Davidson of the Highstown event. “The concerns are making sure there is enough space between the animals. If someone has an aggressive or somewhat fearful animal, we’re sensitive to those needs. And also the cats when they come in, we try to separate those from the dogs as much as possible so as to not distress them.”
The free clinic is an annual event in Hightstown. This year’s clinic attracted approximately 50 animals – which were required to be on a leash or in a carrier – who got their rabies shots. Mr. Davidson said there were more dogs than cats at this year’s event, which is typically held in Hightstown the first week in December.
One of the reasons the clinic is important for the Hightstown area is because of the surrounding woodlands, which are home to wild critters.
“There are quite a few cats and some wild animals as well and rabies is certainly an epidemic and that’s the primary concern,” said Mr. Davidson. “Sometimes animals drift out of the woodlands there and get onto neighborhood properties. The paramount concern is vaccinating against the rabies virus, especially for those pets that may come into contact with some of those wild animals.”
Veterinarian Dr. Christopher Shapley, and veterinarian assistant Heather Reed, both of the Freehold Animal Hospital, administered the vaccines to pets.
“We had a very good turnout. Everyone seems appreciative that we hold the clinic. It’s definitely something we like to do,” said Mr. Davidson, who added that people from outside of Hightstown could bring their pets to the clinic for the vaccination.
The health department also offers other clinics in areas that it serves. There will be free rabies vaccines offered Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Public Works Department building in Robbinsville; and Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Princeton Junction Firehouse on Clarksville Road in West Windsor.
“Anyone who missed this event can certainly attend any of the other events. We schedule those far enough out so that they don’t overlap and people have an opportunity if they miss one to attend one of the other clinics,” said Mr. Davidson.
For additional information, call the health department at 609-936-8400.
