Network members work to provide low-cost neuters in their own communities.
By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Staff Have you ever wanted to help with the pet overpopulation issue; however, you did not know where to start? The Tom Cat Special, a program to provide $10 feline neuter surgeries to low-income individuals, was originally conceived by three spay/neuter organizations in Oregon. Since 2002 the event has been locally successful; and this year Best Friends Animal Society is taking the Tom Cat Special nationwide.
Now, members of the Best Friends Network have signed up to bring this
Spay Day special to their own towns around the country. Participants are working together with local veterinarians, who have agreed to provide a minimum of 10 low-cost neuters between Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day.
“Tom Cat Special 2008 brings awareness and a can-do attitude to alleviate the feline overpopulation problem.” says Celeste Crimi, of Best Friends Animal Society. “Since cats are the number one most relinquished and euthanized pets in United States shelters today, bringing down the numbers of ‘surplus’ cats is crucial.” It is hoped that this program will bring together animal welfare advocates, veterinarians, and those individuals who could not otherwise afford to have their cats neutered. This is a particularly important time of year to institute a big push for sterilizations, prior to the spring litter season.
See how other Network members are helping in the effort to reduce their feline populations with this innovative program.
Claire in Cedar City, Utah
“We’re trying to make a difference,” says Claire Cleveland. I really feel strongly about the spay/neuter issue and that we have too many animals in Cedar City.” However, when she discovered that her local animal shelter had not adopted a cat in months, she knew she had to do something to help.
This is Cleveland’s first grass-roots animal welfare activity and she has successfully signed up half of the veterinarians in Cedar City to participate. She plans to put up flyers in targeted neighborhoods to reach individuals on welfare or single parents, who may be in need of low-cost surgical services for their companion cats.
Sarah in Santa Maria, California
Sarah Brooks is the Ways and Means Director for the
Central Coast SPCA. She says, “I’ve always wanted to do something for Spay Day,” so when she received a Tom Cat Special e-mail from Crimi, she knew she wanted to help. She said there are not a lot of felines in their foster-based rescue group, so this was an opportunity to give back to the cat community.
“Since this is the first year, I want to start small,” so Brooks has one veterinarian signed up for the program. She appreciates the new relationships she is now forming with area vets, who may participate in future years. “It will hopefully get their spirit going,” says Brooks, who wants “everyone working together for a common good.”
With a friend who speaks fluent Spanish, they plan to target the Hispanic community and senior citizens. She plans to schedule all the appointments, make the reminder calls, and will even offer transport if it is necessary. Anything to get these cats fixed.
Jennifer in Fremont, California 
Jennifer Wargo’s organization,
Purrfect Cat Rescue, was originally started as a feline adoption program. However, last year their group also began providing vouchers for low-cost spay and neuters for the cats of the Tri-City area (including Fremont, Union City and Newark). Now they have five veterinarians contracted to provide $50 surgeries for pets and $30 for ferals throughout the year. She states, “It has been wildly successful,” and they sterilized over 300 felines in 2007.
When Wargo heard about the Tom Cat Special, she realized how well that would coincide with her current program. “We’re targeting the vets we already have a relationship with” and now has commitments from three veterinarians, including one who has pledged 10 neuters per week for four weeks. Since Purrfect Cat Rescue already has a program in place, their organization will offer the Tom Cat Special to individuals with male cats and can still provide an alternative for those who have female cats.
Word has spread about the event and the City of Fremont will pass a resolution in honor of Spay Day at its Tuesday, February 5 City Council meeting. The Sergeant of Animal Control will present the proclamation to Purrfect Cat Rescue and Wargo has been invited to speak about the cause.
Nancy in Battle Ground, Indiana
Nancy Allen and
North Central Indiana Spay and Neuter are truly making a difference. “We’re a very small group, but dedicated and hard working.” Not only did they get the first veterinarian to sign up for the program, but their group has 2,160 neuters pledged. One vet, who had committed to 2,000 of those surgeries, has already performed over 100 neuters, thought the program does not officially begin until Valentine’s Day. As if that were not enough, a local philanthropist has offered to sponsor the surgeries, for those who can not afford the $10 fee.
It’s a good thing too. As a result of flyers, newspaper articles, and public services announcements about the Tom Cat Special, Allen states, “Our phone is ringing off the wall.” Her focus is to reach the low income residents living downtown, mobile home parks, and apartment buildings.
Allen has been a long-time supporter of spay/neuter and her organization recently started a feral spay/neuter program, where TNR caregivers can bring in their cats to be fixed, ear tipped and vaccinated for rabies for only $25. She has been lobbying for support from the Mayor of LaFayette and states that for every $1 spent on spay/neuter preventative services, it saves the taxpayers $10. Allen says, “This coming spring, we hope to be working a little less hard,” based on the efforts she and the others in her group are putting in now. Her hope is that next year the special will be for both Tom
and Mom.
Good things to comeThe groundwork is complete and now the effort has progressed to scheduling appointments and performing the surgeries. For a first year effort, the nationwide response has been phenomenal. There are participants from 26 cities with veterinarians committed to doing over 3,000 neuters.
Thanks to the many Best Friends Network members and participating veterinarians for taking action. With spring right around the corner, the 2008 Tom Cat Special is sure to help in the efforts to control the number of homeless cats in shelters.
For more information: •
Spay/Neuter Fever! community•
Sign Up Now for Springtime Spay/Neuter Success!•
Getting Ready for Tom Cat Special 2008How you can help:• While it is now past the deadline to sign up for the 2008 Tom Cat Special, you may still contact
Celeste through the Network, to see if someone near you is participating.
• Support low-cost spay/neuter resources in your region. If there is no Tom Cat Special in your community, see if you can help another local organization signed up for
2008 Spay Day USA events.
Photo credits: taken by Jennifer Hayes
Who is better to represent the 2008 Tom Cat Special than Celeste Crimi’s office mate, Tom Thumb? Shown in the lead photo, Tom Thumb (named for his polydactyl toes) was rescued last year from Pahrump. He currently helps Celeste during the day, but at night he dreams of a home he can call his own. Applications for his adoption are being accepted by Best Friends.
The additional photos are of other male cats who have been happily and healthily neutered.