FAYETTEVILLE — About 600 to 700 dogs and cats may be walking around a little sore on Saturday.

That's if their owners take advantage of free rabies, booster vaccinations and microchipping offered by the Washington County Animal Concerns Advisory Board.

The board plans the second annual Pet Wellness Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

"It looks like we're going to be able to help twice as many animals as last year," said Sarah Corley, who chairs the expo committee.

Volunteers last year had no idea the event would be so popular. It took one veterinarian more than five hours to vaccinate 300 pets, Corley said. This year, volunteers will be ready.

"We're real excited because we have some students from the University of Arkansas pre-vet club to do some volunteering," Corley said.

Five veterinarians have volunteered to administer rabies and booster shots. More volunteers are ready to help keep the crowd organized, said Claudette Cardwell, the chairman of the advisory board. Cardwell said the pet expo committee has received about $3,000 to $4,000 in monetary and in-kind donations for the event.

The committee has received and bought about 750 booster shots and about 500 rabies vaccinations. Cardwell said pet vaccinations can cost their owners at least $50, but can be more expensive based on where one gets the shots.

The shots will be free, but volunteers will be asking pet owners to donate $5.

The organizers also plan to have 400 to 500 microchips. The microchips work as an identification for lost dogs and cats.

"Microchips are the animal's ticket home if they're ever lost or picked up by animal control officers," Cardwell said. "They just scan them with a scan gun and find the owners."

Microchips are aimed to help prevent animal shelters from filling up. Microchips can range anywhere from $20 at the Fayetteville Animal Shelter to $45 to $75 at veterinarian clinics, Cardwell said.

The shots and micro-chipping are intended for Washington County residents who are individual pet owners, but Corley said the goal is to protect animals.

"We're not going to turn people away," Corley said. "We had a couple of people who came as far away as Tulsa."

The event will also have information on low-cost and free spaying and neutering from the county and the Humane Society of the Ozarks. Several local animal shelters will have booths for visitors to learn about adopting pets, Corley said. There will be free hotdogs and local Boy Scouts will sell drinks.