ACHS Celebrates Results, Worries
about Future of Spay/Neuter Campaign
Kirksville,
MO -- May 20, 2013 -- The
Adair County Humane Society is pleased to announce the results of its fourth
annual March “Be a PAL – Prevent a Litter” spay/neuter campaign: 197 owned pets
were fixed, 109 dogs and 88 cats.
Approximately 700 dogs and cats have been fixed within the first four years of the March “Prevent a Litter” (PAL) campaign. The campaign is having a significant impact on the number of homeless animals in our area, as these 700 pets were kept from multiplying into 3500 unwanted cats and dogs.
People paid for the surgeries by either taking advantage of discounts at local veterinary clinics, using $50 coupons from the ACHS, or combining the two. In general more female animals were fixed than males, no doubt because it’s the female animals who will (without human intervention) have many unwanted litters. But it’s relatively inexpensive to fix a male, and savvy individuals increasingly recognize the health, behavioral, and community benefits of neutering their male pets.
All three Kirksville veterinary clinics participated in the campaign, as did clinics in La Plata, Lancaster, Unionville, and Edina. These veterinary clinics were not compensated by the ACHS for their discounts. The top clinic in the area was the Adair County Veterinary Clinic, which performed 94 spay/neuter surgeries during the month of March, all at special discounted rates.
In mid-February the Adair County Humane Society distributed one hundred and forty $50 spay/neuter certificates to people in financial need. Nearly 70% of these were redeemed. The bill for this year’s campaign was $4725, which was paid for by donations from people who recognize that prevention is the best strategy for dealing with the problem of pet overpopulation. Much of this money was raised by a matching funds challenge in early February.
The ACHS was fortunate enough to receive special spay/neuter grants from the ASPCA in 2010, 2011, and 2012 to partially fund the PAL campaign. But there was no grant money available to support the 2013 campaign. Since the campaign is now well-established, board members hope that individuals within the community will provide monetary donations to continue this important work. There will not be a 2014 March “Prevent a Litter” campaign unless the ACHS has a very successful fund-raising year.
More information is available at the ACHS website: adairhumane.org.
Approximately 700 dogs and cats have been fixed within the first four years of the March “Prevent a Litter” (PAL) campaign. The campaign is having a significant impact on the number of homeless animals in our area, as these 700 pets were kept from multiplying into 3500 unwanted cats and dogs.
People paid for the surgeries by either taking advantage of discounts at local veterinary clinics, using $50 coupons from the ACHS, or combining the two. In general more female animals were fixed than males, no doubt because it’s the female animals who will (without human intervention) have many unwanted litters. But it’s relatively inexpensive to fix a male, and savvy individuals increasingly recognize the health, behavioral, and community benefits of neutering their male pets.
All three Kirksville veterinary clinics participated in the campaign, as did clinics in La Plata, Lancaster, Unionville, and Edina. These veterinary clinics were not compensated by the ACHS for their discounts. The top clinic in the area was the Adair County Veterinary Clinic, which performed 94 spay/neuter surgeries during the month of March, all at special discounted rates.
In mid-February the Adair County Humane Society distributed one hundred and forty $50 spay/neuter certificates to people in financial need. Nearly 70% of these were redeemed. The bill for this year’s campaign was $4725, which was paid for by donations from people who recognize that prevention is the best strategy for dealing with the problem of pet overpopulation. Much of this money was raised by a matching funds challenge in early February.
The ACHS was fortunate enough to receive special spay/neuter grants from the ASPCA in 2010, 2011, and 2012 to partially fund the PAL campaign. But there was no grant money available to support the 2013 campaign. Since the campaign is now well-established, board members hope that individuals within the community will provide monetary donations to continue this important work. There will not be a 2014 March “Prevent a Litter” campaign unless the ACHS has a very successful fund-raising year.
More information is available at the ACHS website: adairhumane.org.
