Host: Are all vaccines given to the animal before going to their home?

Michelle Otis: The vaccines that are given depend on the resources of the shelter. Most shelters will definitely give you a rabies vaccine, they will give you a distemper vaccine and most of them will vaccinate for Kennel Cough which is the Bordetella vaccine and those are your most basic vaccines. Most shelters will also deworm and provide a free treatment and give you an option for microchip if you want to. Keep in mind that when adopting a shelter animal, many of them come from unknown backgrounds and have unknown veterinary histories so the vaccines that they get in the shelter are most likely the first that they have ever gotten in their lives. You will better want to follow up with boosters on those vaccines, especially if you get a puppy. Puppies require at least 3-4 sets of shots in order to be fully vaccinated and protected and those are generally given anywhere from 3-4 weeks apart. So you are going to have to provide some follow up veterinary care for vaccines.