The Millstein Vaccination Program will provide Forest Park dog and cat owners with low-cost vaccinations for their pets from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday June 29 at the Forest Park Fire Station, 517 Des Plaines Ave.

The program is being offered to village residents through a partnership with the Hinsdale Humane Society and the Irving and Phyllis Millstein Foundation for Animal Welfare.

Village Administrator Tim Gillian said he and Tom Van Winkle, director of the Hinsdale Humane Society, worked together when Van Winkle was the director of the Animal Care League in Oak Park. Gillian said Van Winkle approached him to offer a low-cost vaccination clinic in Forest Park when grant funding from the Millstein Foundation became available.

Van Winkle, who has been director at the Hinsdale Humane Society for two years, said his organization first partnered with the Millstein Foundation last year when the foundation helped the humane society open an in-house clinic in the organization’s new facility.

He said Millstein “helped us get the clinic going” when the new facility opened at 21 Salt Creek Lane in November. 

“The long-term goal of Millstein is to provide vaccinations,” Van Winkle said. “They asked me if we wanted to partner with them. I reached out to Tim and we worked it out.”

A four-person team from the humane society will staff the clinic. In addition to a veterinarian, the team will include two technicians and an assistant.

In addition, Gillian said the village will have staff on hand at the clinic to sell dog park permits and pet tags.

Van Winkle said he is familiar with the concept of a low-cost vaccination clinic from his time at the Animal Care League, having provided similar clinics in Berwyn and Cicero. 

“It’s a pretty quick process,” he said.

Gillian said he does not believe such a clinic has ever been offered in Forest Park. 

Fire Chief Bob McDermott said the clinic will be offered on the upper apparatus bay floor of the fire station.

“We’ll just put the engines on the street for the day,” he said, noting that has been done before for such events as the annual pancake breakfast.

No appointments will be taken. Pets and their owners will be assisted on a first come, first served basis.

Since the program is limited to Forest Park residents, each pet owner will need to provide a form of identification showing his or her Forest Park address.

Each cat must be in a carrier and each dog must be on a leash no longer than six-feet.

Dog vaccinations offered include DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza and parvovirus), $15; rabies, $10; and Bordetella, $10. In addition, a heartworm test will be available for $5 and a six-month supply of heartworm preventative for $10.

Cat vaccinations offered include FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia), $20, and rabies, $10.

In addition to the vaccinations, pet owners can have a microchip implanted for $10. 

As an animal-centered social philanthropy, the mission of the Millstein Foundation addresses the protection of vulnerable at-risk animals as well as the human-animal connection and bond. Described as avid animal lovers, Irving Millstein died in 1998 and his wife Phyllis in 2009.