Sunday was the start of the provincially-proclaimed Animal Health Week, and for this year's edition, the concentration is on vaccination.

Tammy Klassen, with the Associate Pet Clinic in Swift Current, said vaccines go a long way in preventing disease spreading from animals to other animals, but also from animals to people.

Rabies, she said, is the one of conern that humans can contract from animals. She added that animal-to-animal transmissions are far more common.

"Vaccines are very important for an animal's health," Klassen said. "They're safe and effective and they prevent many illnesses. Vaccines protect everyone. They prevent diseases that can be passed not only from animal to animal, but from animal to humans."

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association puts on Animal Health Week in Canada, which coincides with the week in Saskatchewan.

Klassen said it's been going on for over three decades, and while they haven't seen a spike in people bringing in pets for vaccinations this week, it's about creating more overall awareness.

"It's easier to prevent the illness by vaccinating, than trying to treat it when something has happened already," she said.

Klassen also said it's quite common for fully-grown animals to come in that aren't vaccinated, as she said people either don't know a lot about vaccines, or have been misinformed.