More than 200 animals were inoculated against rabies at a vaccination clinic held in Mathews Saturday for dogs and cats belonging to residents of Mathews and Middlesex counties.

Mathews Animal Control Officer Jean Roberts said that 184 dogs and 43 cats received the rabies vaccine. Most of the dogs were from 13 hunt clubs, she said.

Eight volunteers braved 38° weather to assist Dr. Steven Skinner of Hartfield Animal Hospital, said Roberts. In addition to Roberts, a deputy animal control officer from Middlesex and a veterinary technician from the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society animal shelter were also on hand to help. They had set up tents to ward off the wind, but the tents didn’t help much with the cold, said Roberts, so everyone had to dress warmly.

Hunters had been asked to register early, and most of them did, said Roberts. They were lined up by 7:30 a.m. for the 8-11 a.m. clinic.

Almost every year a cat escapes during the clinic, she said, and this year was n...