On Thursday, October 30, we hosted a free pet wellness clinic in Belle Glade, FL, with support from Mars, Inc., PEDIGREE Foundation, Banfield Pet Hospital™, VCA Animal Hospitals™, Zoetis, Palm Beach County Animal Control and the Belle Glade Library. We administered over 350 life‑saving vaccines to 56 cats and 111 dogs, and we were moved by the outpouring of gratitude from the community.
At the clinic, we offered wellness exams, rabies vaccinations, species‑specific combo vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, and microchipping. Because the clinic fell the day before Halloween, each pet left with a festive “trick-or-treat” goodie bag filled with food, treats, leashes, bowls, and more—all at no cost.
This event brought accessible pet health care to the community, equipping local pet parents with the tools and resources they need to safeguard the health and well‑being of their cherished companions and help them live long, happy lives.
We received an overwhelming response from the community, which highlighted both the need for accessible pet care services and the power of collaboration among local organizations. Below are just a few of the heartwarming stories from the day.
Angelica & five rescued pets with five stories of love
At the clinic, we met Angelica, who came in from Canal Point, FL and brought in five rescue pets, four dogs and one cat, each with a unique rescue story.
“We appreciate American Humane Society for giving us this opportunity for our animals to be taken care of,” Angelica shared. “This is a great opportunity and it’s great that it came to Belle Glade, it’s very convenient for us to handle all five of our animals. They’re our babies, our fur babies. We appreciate you guys, thank you for everything you do.”
Juan & Mittens, the kitten who picked her people
We spoke with Juan, who brought in a black and white kitten named Mittens. When we asked about how he found Mittens, he said: “Actually, she found us! She was outside of our house. I heard some meowing and that’s when I saw her running around. I was looking for her mom, but I never found her, so we ended up adopting her.”
A friend told Juan about the free wellness clinic, and he found it the perfect place to start caring for his new fur baby. “I didn’t know where to start, so this was a good place to start. It was very helpful to have this here. Thank you very much!” Juan said.
Antoinette, bringing support to her community
Antoinette happened to drive by and saw the clinic at the Belle Glade Public Library. She felt moved to share the news with her community. “Once I saw the benefits that they had for our animals, I went live on social media to let people in my community know that they’re here to take care of our animals and make sure they’re good and safe,” she said.
“To me, it’s a great deal to keep our animals healthy, so they can live longer lives and make them happy. I really appreciate American Humane Society for coming out and having considerations for the pets in our community.” Antoinette added.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who came out — pet parents, volunteers, and partner organizations — to help make this clinic a success. And, of course, our generous donors who make these events possible. Moments like these remind us why accessible veterinary care matters: healthier pets mean stronger families and stronger communities. We look forward to continuing this work in Belle Glade and beyond, and to bringing more free, compassionate care to the pets who need it most.
