Photo: Kyle Bray/ WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Animal Rescue League of Boston hosted an event in Mattapan on Friday to show off its Wellness Waggin': a red and white van equipped with all the bells and whistles of a veterinary exam room. It crisscrosses Boston to deliver pet care to underserved neighborhoods.
"They actually come to the neighborhood instead of having residents go somewhere that's inaccessible," Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén said.
The van travels through Mattapan, Hyde Park, Roxbury, Dorchester and East Boston. The ARL has identified these neighborhoods as "pet care deserts," which means they lack accessible and affordable veterinary services.
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ARL Boston President Edward Schettino said the program is meant to save pet owners in these neighborhoods from choosing between "feeding themselves versus feeding their pet."
Each visit to the Wellness Waggin' costs $10 and includes a physical exam, the rabies vaccine, the distemper vaccine, flea treatment and microchipping.
The ARL has reported a 40 percent decrease in surrendered animals in the neighborhoods the Welcome Waggin' serves since launching the program in 2019.
WBZ NewsRadio's Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.
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