by Denise LeBeau, Best Friends Animal Society

Some Low Cost Spay & Neuter Programs Across the Country

Rick DuCharme of First Coast No More Homeless Pets in Florida tells us, “80% of the pet overpopulation problem is caused by 3% of pet owners, these for the most part are low income pet owners. Programs that target these pet owners are the most effective and the only way we will ever get control of the pet overpopulation crisis.”

You’ve seen the statistics, you know February is Spay Neuter month. Now here are some inspiring spay & neuter programs that are helping low income communities across the country!

emanciPET of Texas

In East Austin, TX, the emanciPET program is helping not just with free spay neuter surgeries, but with education and public awareness in both pet health and strengthening the pet-person bond. Dr. Ellen Jefferson is the Founder and Medical Director, and built the program teaming up with the city of Austin. Austin pays for the surgeries and does a bulk of the advertising, with flyers that get widely distributed from places like public libraries to community centers.

Also they have a high-profile in the community and are developing its' program further to encompass having a veterinarian on hand to coach people on wellness. Also to be included will be a dog trainer to teach their clients about environment enrichment. All part of the full package being offered to financially underprivileged families. They’re even working with a young man who came from a hardened background, and through compassion and understanding has done a 180-degree turn and now helps convince the pet owners in his neighborhood that they need to do the right thing by their animals, starting with getting them spayed and neutered!

He reaches out and goes door to door spreading the word, and helps with the transport of their dogs [emanciPET has both a spay/neuter mobile and a stationary clinic], giving this program an even more effective edge!

“Right now Austin’s at a critical point, reaching target communities [by getting the surgeries done for free, offering training, health care support and enrichment ideas] consistently, we want to go from neighborhood to neighborhood getting the work done,” says Dr. Jefferson.

Learn more about emanciPET at: http://www.emancipet.org/


CSRA Lifesaver of South Carolina

In South Carolina, Lisa Williams of CSRA Lifesaver is the owner of another innovative program to get low cost spay & neuter to the people that need it. CSRA Lifesaver is a for-profit program that recently moved to Northern Augusta, SC. Offering affordable spay neuters and paying the veterinarians fairly are what keep this program not only affordable but buzzing along…they’ve spayed and neutered over 6,000 dogs and cats so far!

Lisa started out working for a shelter in 1996 in Greenwood, SC – there she saw so many healthy, homeless animals euthanized for space, she knew she had to do something about it. In October 2003 she started her program, and has learned so much in doing it herself, that she now has successfully helped others open up programs in areas including South Carolina and Georgia.

She says she’d help anyone with the wisdom she’s gained from having a successful program! The trick to being solvent she adds is from offering vaccines in addition to the surgeries. Not only does Lisa help other low cost spay & neuter programs get started, she’s also working with Burke County, GA to help get them a humane animal control officer. This is being spearheaded by her other organization, Coalition for Legal Animal Welfare or CLAW for short!

Learn more about CSRA Lifesaver at: http://www.csralifesaver.com/
Learn more about CLAW at: http://www.claw-csra.org/


Pet Over-Population Prevention Advocates, Inc. of Oregon

In Oregon, the organization Pet Over-Population Prevention Advocates, Inc. or POPPA, Inc. for short have been making a difference in the lives of countless companion animals since 2001. Founded by Keni Cyr-Rumble, this unique program is partly funded by an unusual source called Recycled Gardens (check out http://www.poppainc.org/location.asp ) a nursery boutique featuring flora and fauna salvaged from the brink of the compost heap!

POPPA, Inc. has a very successful program called the Tom and Mom Cat Special, now in its sixth year. Targeting the least fortunate of the area, this special runs from Valentine’s Day to St. Patrick’s Day and is among the most accommodating towards its audience. Celeste Crimi, Vice President of POPPA, Inc. says, “It’s totally doable – we’ve got over thirty clinics to participate, and it fosters a collaborative effort between the animal organizations. We keep the administrative side very simple: screening can be done using a zip code and if an animal needing to be altered is a feral or a stray there are no questions asked. We use a singular password for our clients, a word that is easy to understand over the phone and easy to spell!”

“The first time we did the Tom and Mom Cat Special we had a six month lead time. We came up with a flat fee for the surgeries - $10 for the spay/neuters. We faxed all the clinics and then we called the clinics to see if they received the fax and we also got the manager’s name at that time. Next we’d follow up to see if they have considered the offer, giving them inspiration to sign on by dropping quick quips like “your neighbor is doing it, or, there’s no one is this area participating, you would be a beacon of hope.” Then you’ve still got to allay the vet’s fears, their primary concern is that the clients wouldn’t show up, so we use extra volunteer power to call and confirm the scheduled appointments. Of course, if the client doesn’t show up for the appointment, they have to be eliminated from the program.”

Also, because it’s a “special,” most of the local media avenues pick up on it to add to their event calendars. Further advertising to their target audience includes flyers with handy pull-off tabs with the pertinent info. These are displayed in lower income residences and in discount food stores, welfare offices, cigarette outlets and food banks.

Every year it gets bigger and better. “Just get one clinic on board, and it will grow from there,” Celeste says. "It encourages anyone thinking of starting a program. Also after the event is over, we give the participating clinics a plaque to commemorate their much appreciated contribution,” she continues. “You’ve got to show the veterinarians and their staff how much their cooperation and dedication is valued, and a framed certificate or plaque is a great way to do it.”

Learn more about POPPA, Inc at: http://www.poppainc.org/
Learn more about the Tom and Mom Cat Special at: http://www.spayoregon.org/SD/index.aspx


SpayED of Vermont

In Vermont, Pamela Krausz, started SpayED Inc in Brookfield, VT, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing both education, financial support and low cost spay neuter to the needier families of the area.

This is what Pamela had to share on their program, how they got started and what they’ve been able to accomplish: “I got it in my head that Vermont really needed a mobile clinic. At the time I was thinking a "bells and whistles" surgical van. I started talking to people in the humane movement and saw there was a definite interest. Then I had a meeting at my house with several people to start discussing what might work in Vermont.

The timing was just right. A few people were at a conference in New Hampshire and were talking to Dr. Leslie Appel from New York. She started SOS (Shelter Outreach Services) and said she wanted to come to the meeting. She showed us her model of a mobile clinic, and we all agreed it seemed like the way to go. Dr. White later went to visit Dr. Appel in New York where she was basically told if you build it, they will come and there is grant money available. Dr. White decided she wanted to go for it and started the mobile clinic here called Spay ASAP. Humane organizations, including SpayED, organize spay days with Dr. White and the mobile clinic and so far it has been hugely successful. Dr. White spay/neutered over 1200 cats in just 8 months and expects to do between 3600 and 5000 this year.

As for SpayED, my goal was to set up spay days and help people with multiple cats and people who while low income, may not qualify for the state program. The first day organized, we had 48 cats and 30 of them were from just 3 farms. SpayED helped pay for 20 of them. All 3 qualified for the state program so the fee was just $10, but 2 farmers could not pay even that with 10-11 cats. I am finding that well over 50% of the people who call do qualify for the state program- that means they are on some type of public assistance.

About two thirds of our vets here do participate in the program, but for people with many cats, transportation is also an issue so being able to have them done all at once does help. I would say that 90+% of the cats have never been to a vet before (it is a question asked on the intake form). Some of these are kittens, but many are older cats. I am finding it very heartening that so many people really do want to have the surgeries done, they just need an affordable way to do so.”

Learn more about the SpayED Inc. at: http://www.spayeducation.org/index.php


These are just some of the innovative programs getting to the root of the pet overpopulation problem, and there are many others cropping up across the country. You can find cost spay neuter programs across the country by using the following resources.

State by State Programs
http://www.petsandanimals.org/spayneuter_services.html

Pets 911
http://www.pets911.com
Phone 1-888-pets911

Spay/USA -- national referral service
http://www.spayusa.org
1-800-248-SPAY (7729)

Friends of Animals -- national low cost certificate program
http://www.friendsofanimals.org/spaying/cover.htm
1-800-321-PETS (7387)

Further Spay Neuter information can be found on the Best Friends website:
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Spay & Neuter Community
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