CHARLESTON ANIMAL SOCIETY LEADS EFFORT TO BREAK GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ TITLE FOR ANIMALS
2,000 animals receive vaccinations and microchips at record-breaking event.
(NORTH CHARLESTON | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2023) —
Charleston Animal Society broke the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for most pledges received for a pet vaccination campaign in 24 hours, while also setting numerous South Carolina records for animals. Organized under the Animal Society’s No Kill South Carolina statewide initiative, over 30 veterinarians, supported by 230 volunteers and staff, participated in VAX-A-PALOOZA, an animal protection event and campaign designed to enhance public health and safety for both families and the animals that they love.
Hundreds of families brought close to 2,000 animals to the VAX-A-PALOOZA event at the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center to receive thousands of lifesaving vaccines such as Rabies, Distemper, and Parvo, along with microchips, emergency pet disaster grab ‘n go kits, and registration in Petco Love Lost, a digital lost and found software system to help families reunite with their missing pets.
In addition to the mega vaccine and microchip clinic event, the other half of VAX-A-PALOOZA was the 24-hour campaign encouraging pet owners to pledge to keep their pets vaccinated against deadly diseases. The campaign ran from 7:00 PM EST February 17, 2023 through 7:00 PM EST February 18, 2023. At the conclusion of the VAX-A-PALOOZA, a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title was broken with 2,226 pledges as verified by a Guinness World Records Official Adjudicator from the United Kingdom, breaking the previous record of 1,867.
“With this World Record, the Lowcountry showed just how much people here truly love their animals,” said Charleston Animal Society President and CEO Joe Elmore, CAWA, CFRE. “We will always remember that it was here in North Charleston, South Carolina, where hundreds of families turned out to vaccinate and microchip their pets while setting a World Record.”
In addition to breaking the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title, multiple state records for animals were established, (not verified by GWR) including:
1. Most animals vaccinated in a single event
2. Most animals microchipped in a single event
3. Most animals registered in a digital lost and found system in a single event
4. Most veterinarians participating in a single event
“We want to thank all of the veterinarians, volunteers and staff, who showed up today, rolled up their sleeves and provided preventive lifesaving care to 2,000 animals,” Elmore said. “These veterinarians, support staff and volunteers, from throughout South Carolina, North Carolina, and as far away as Boston, allowed VAX-A-PALOOZA to break a GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ title and demonstrated the magnitude of what we can accomplish working shoulder-to-shoulder for the benefit of animals and the families who love them.”
Sponsors of VAX-A-PALOOZA included Charleston Animal Society, Petco Love, Massachusetts SPCA, Best Friends Animal Society, the City of North Charleston, Crews Subaru, 24 PetWatch, and Charleston City Paper.
The honorary co-chairs of VAX-A-PALOOZA were SC House Representative Leonidas E. “Leon” Stavrinakis, SC House Representative Chris Murphy, and North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey.
