Largest single pledge to one community for low-cost spay and neuter services

Provided courtesy of PetSmart Charities

PetSmart Charities today announced its landmark Spay Los Angeles Initiative - a record $13.8 million funding pledge for spay/neuter efforts to reduce pet overpopulation in Southern California and, ultimately, the tragedy of companion animal euthanasia. Spay Los Angeles marks the largest financial pledge ever made by PetSmart Charities toward one initiative, and is the largest-single pledge by any grant-maker or foundation in the United States specifically for spay/neuter efforts.

The multi-million dollar, five-year grant will seed the development and operation of eight high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter clinics for dogs and cats in the city and county of Los Angeles. During the five-year initiative period, the clinics are projected to spay or neuter more than 500,000 dogs and cats – thereby preventing the births of millions of puppies and kittens – and save up to 100,000 dogs and cats from euthanasia. With all eight clinics operating at full capacity during a sustained, five-year period, they could spay or neuter as many as 720,000 dogs and cats – preventing the births of countless unwanted litters, and saving millions of lives.

Despite the very best efforts of shelters in the Los Angels region, more than 87,000 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens were euthanized in the larger Los Angeles area shelters during 2007 (footnote 1).

“The best solution for reducing the steady stream of homeless companion animals into the shelter system, and ultimately reducing the tragedy of euthanasia, is to reduce the number of unwanted pets. That is achieved with spay and neuter efforts,” said PetSmart Charities Executive Director Susana Della Maddalena. “We need to increase dramatically the availability of low-cost spay/neuter services in neighborhoods where they are needed the most, such as where shelter intake is high, income is low and resources are limited.”

With the $13.8 million pledge in place, PetSmart Charities now is seeking donations to increase the investment in Los Angeles to $27.6 million during the initiative.

“Our $13.8 million pledge jumpstarts Los Angeles’ effort to fill a vital need in the reduction of animals entering, and then being euthanized, in shelters,” Della Maddalena said. “We welcome the community to join our effort in continuing to build a future where every adoptable pet in this community can find a lifelong, loving home.”

WHY LOS ANGELES, WHY NOW?
In surveying the top 20 metropolitan areas in the U.S., PetSmart Charities ranked Los Angeles No. 2 in the number of pets euthanized because of lack of space in shelters, second only to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Los Angeles was selected for funding based on several key factors, including its high population, high cost of living, and lack of existing, subsidized low-cost spay/neuter services. In addition:
• 16.7 percent of the Los Angeles population lives below the poverty level (vs. 13.2% in the rest of California) (footnote 2);
• Up to 50 percent of family pets in Los Angeles live in median to low-income households (footnote 3);
• The high cost of living creates a need for subsidized services; however, existing low-cost spay/neuter services, while laudable, are not adequate to meet the extreme need;
• L.A. County has the lowest number of veterinarians per capita of the nine largest counties in California (footnote 4);
• Shelter intake and euthanasia are beginning to decline, yet remain among the highest in the U.S.;
• The county and city of Los Angeles now have mandatory spay/neuter ordinances (footnote 5);
• Local philanthropic capacity and interest for this effort are strong.

WHO WILL ADMINISTER THE GRANT FUNDING?
PetSmart Charities has selected two California non-profit agencies to administer the grant funding and provide low-cost spay/neuter services for dogs and cats as part of the Spay Los Angeles Initiative:

- Clinico, Inc.: This 501 (c)(3)organization provides low-cost, high-quality spay and neuter services for dogs and cats in Los Angeles County. Clinico will operate seven of the eight clinics. The first clinic is open at 9325 Slauson Avenue in Pico Rivera. Clinico also offers services in Downey, and has secured a second full-time clinic location at the Los Angeles Animal Services Harbor Animal Care Center with an estimated opening date of November 1, 2008. Clinico will locate its remaining clinics in or adjacent to ZIP codes that are the sources of the greatest number of pets entering shelters in the city and county of Los Angeles. Services will be available to the public and rescue organizations on weekdays, evenings and weekends. With all seven of clinics in full operation, Clinico projects that it would spay or neuter 400,000 dogs and cats during the five-year initiative.

- FixNation, Inc.: This 501 (c)(3) organization operates the first feral-cat spay/neuter clinic in California and will spay or neuter free-roaming cats being sterilized under a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, as well as owned cats. FixNation’s clinic at 7680 Clybourn Ave., adjacent to the Burbank airport, opened in July. Before the new clinic opened, FixNation provided services at a clinic adjacent to the L.A. City North Shelter. In conjunction with the Spay Los Angeles Initiative, FixNation’s goal is to spay or neuter 80 cats per day, five days a week, 50 weeks per year, for a total of 20,000 cats per year – and up to 100,000 in five years.

FixNation estimates that as many as 1 million feral and free-roaming cats live on the streets of Los Angeles County, and most are not sterilized. One pair of fertile cats and their offspring can produce nearly 12,000 kittens in about five years, according to SpayUSA.

“If we don’t take action now, this problem will only get worse. More cats will end up in shelters and die,” said Della Maddalena. “While many animal rescue organizations are involved in TNR efforts, very few low-cost clinics can absorb the cost of providing such a high volume of spay or neuter surgeries. FixNation’s clinic is a humane method for preventing future deaths. We believe this is a critical need that can be addressed with this unique solution and is a vital component of our $13.8 million pledge to Los Angeles.”

MANDATORY SPAY/NEUTER LEGISLATION vs. FEES FOR DOGS AND CATS
Dog and cat owners in the city and county of Los Angeles are required to spay or neuter their pets; however, the cost of such services can be prohibitive for thousands of pet parents. Spay/neuter costs in Los Angels County range from $100 to $200 for dogs and from $50 to $100 for cats. At the same time, more than 16 percent of the population lives below the poverty level, and an estimated half-million “owned” pets are not spayed or neutered.

“Because the cost of having a pet sterilized can be out of reach for many pet parents, they will be in violation of the law,” Della Maddalena added. “However, services offered by FixNation and Clinico are more affordable and make it easier for pet parents to comply with city and county laws.”

FixNation offers services for cats ranging from zero to $50, depending upon gender and whether the cat is owned or free-roaming. Clinico provides spay services for female cats for $35 and for female dogs for $55; neutering for male cats for $25 and neutering for male dogs for $45. Both clinics also accept coupons and provide other necessary services such as pain medication and, if necessary, vaccinations, fluids and antibiotics.

LOS ANGELES: LEADING THE WAY WITH A MODEL INITIATIVE
The Spay Los Angeles initiative will serve as a model program and, based upon its demonstrated results, could set the standard for similar large-scale spay/neuter efforts throughout the United States. By collecting baseline data from local shelters prior to the opening of the Spay Los Angeles clinics, PetSmart Charities plans to measure the effect of increased targeted spay/neuter on shelter intake as the clinics open and provide service to the community. Data will be submitted for review by veterinarians and animal-welfare industry experts, and the results provided to scientific journals and national publications. The goal is to extend the lifesaving impact of Spay Los Angeles by demonstrating large-scale success, and encouraging other communities to pursue their own comprehensive spay/neuter initiatives.

ASSIST SPAY LOS ANGELES – AND HELP SAVE LIVES

• To help match PetSmart Charities $13.8 pledge and achieve the goal of $27.6 million to help spay and neuter dogs and cats in Los Angeles, and save lives, donate at www.petsmartcharities.org and click on the link for Spay Los Angeles. There, contributors can also learn more details about the progress of the Spay Los Angeles Initiative and other programs PetSmart Charities supports, or has created, to save and improve the lives of animals in the U.S. and Canada. Donation information also is available by calling 1-800-745-9640.

For more information:
• Spay Los Angeles
• Spay/Neuter Fever! Community
• Spay/Neuter Resources

About PetSmart Charities
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is an independent 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that creates and supports programs that save the lives of homeless pets, raise awareness of companion animal welfare issues, and promote healthy relationships between people and pets. Since 1994, PetSmart Charities has funded more than $70 million in grants and programs benefiting animal welfare organizations and, through its in-store pet adoption program, has helped save the lives of more than 3.4 million pets. To learn more about how PetSmart Charities is working to help find a lifelong, loving home for every pet, visit www.petsmartcharities.org or call 1-800-423-PETS.

Footnotes:
1. Based on available data provided by animal shelters in the city and county of Los Angeles/Asilomar Accords
2. United States Census Bureau
3. United States Census Bureau
4. National Institute of Health
5. The city ordinance was passed in February 2008 and takes effect October 1. It requires cats and dogs ages 4 months and older to be spayed or neutered unless exempted for a specific reason.

Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff
Photo credit: taken by Jennifer Hayes

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