Helping People and the Pets They Love

Collaborative effort between PALS and other organizations to result in over 300 spays and neuters.

By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Staff

Spring has sprung in Central Texas, which generally means litters of unwanted puppies and kittens are soon to come. Hoping to prevent that scenario, Pet Prevent a Litter (PALS) of Central Texas has made its mission to help end pet overpopulation in the region by providing free spay and neuter surgeries to the pets of people in financial need. While the organization distributes vouchers all year long, Spay Day holds a special significance, as it makes a dramatic impact on reducing the number of early litters.

(Argie Benitez had Kitty Cat fixed.)

Despite the fact that Spay Day itself is only one day, PALS Executive Director Sharri Boyett began preparations in November to organize the event. Meetings with city officials, creation and distribution of flyers in both English and Spanish, negotiations with local veterinarians, and distribution of vouchers all take months of work to make it happen. This is in addition to the year-round connections she makes with human service agencies to determine those people who are in the greatest need, as well as collaboration with area animal welfare organizations.

Her work has certainly paid off as this year’s achievement has surpassed their wildest expectations. The event runs from February 25 through March 17 and the goal was to fund 150 sterilization surgeries; however, demand was so great, they are on track to more than double that estimate by providing over 300 spays and neuters.

The week prior, Spay Day proclamations were issued by the cities of San Marcos, Kyle, and Lockhart, as well as by the Hays County Commissioners. City of San Marcos Mayor Susan Narvaiz read from her town’s proclamation, “…Whereas, the San Marcos Animal Services Department sheltered 12,566 animals from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2007, demonstrating the significant need to reduce the number of unwanted pets in our community; and whereas the City of San Marcos recognizes that spay/neuter programs are the key to ending pet overpopulation, and spaying or neutering all our companion animals is the only way to prevent surplus births…” The free sterilization surgeries that PALS provides to the local community are urgently needed.

(Representatives from the San Marcos City Council, PALS, Mutt Strutt, and the City of San Marcos Animal Services.)

Actual surgeries began with an emanciPET mobile clinic in Lockhart. While appointments were necessary, promotion had been so successful that additional people came with their pets hoping to be given a slot. The clinic was filled to capacity; however, unable to refuse anyone, fellow animal welfare organization, Cause for Paws, who had scheduled the clinic offered to cover the cost of the additional eight cats at a nearby participating veterinarian, while PALS funded the one excess dog in addition to entire clinic. No one was turned away and 52 animals were fixed.

One of the people helped was a 74 year old woman. Since she was on a fixed income and does not drive, Cause for Paws volunteer Dianne Baker, brought Bear the full-grown Great Pyrenees, to the clinic for her. The organization has actually been helping the woman for about six months now and in addition to Bear, with the backing of PALS, they have fixed three of the stray cats the woman feeds. It is a good thing too, because those cats have already produced multiple litters. In appreciation for their continued assistance, the woman rewards the members of Cause for Paws with fresh eggs, as a gesture of gratitude.

(Cause for Paws volunteer Dianne Baker posing with Bear.)

Tiffany Tucker brought Lottie to the Lockhart clinic to be spayed. In fact, Tucker was one of the people originally responsible for bringing the emanciPET low-cost mobile clinic to Lockhart on a regular basis back in 2000. At the time she owned a grooming shop, but an injury forced her to close her business. Since then, she has been doing independent dog rescuing.

(Tiffany Tucker brought Lottie to end her puppy bearing days.)

Lottie had just been adopted and is soon to go to a family in Austin; however, her life did not start out so happily. She was used for breeding and when her first guardian decided to stop selling dachshunds, she was sold to another breeder to continue producing puppies. It was at that point when tests revealed that she had collie eye anomaly, a hereditary ocular defect which can cause blindness. The breeder approached Tucker who was given the choice to take the dog or she would be euthanized. Lottie is fortunate to have been rescued, and now thanks to the support of PALS, she will no longer produce more puppies and can enjoy a life of love in her new home.

Timothy Davis originally obtained Haly about seven years ago from a friend. Although she is kept indoors, occasionally she sneaks out for a day; however, that is all it took for her to become pregnant twice in the past year. Davis’ friends continued to pressure him to have her spayed, though he was never free to schedule an appointment for her. Recently unemployed, he now had the time, but not the funds to get her fixed. The Humane Society of New Braunfels informed him about the free clinic and now Haly’s kitten producing years are over.

(No more litters for Haly after Timothy Davis brought her to the San Marcos clinic.)

“We see the need out there to reduce unwanted animals,” states Bert Stratemann, Animal Services Manager for the City of San Marcos Animal Services. “By having this Spay Day it helps reduce the number of unwanted and stray animals that we have to pick up every day and bring into the shelter.” Last year was the first Spay Day held at the shelter and the response to the event was overwhelming. This year’s collaboration between the shelter, Mutt Strutt, and PALS was no exception and both the emanciPET mobile clinic and MASH unit were full; performing 80 spays and neuters throughout the day.

(Dr. Ellen Jefferson spaying a dog.)
The San Marcos Animal Shelter has a vested interest in reducing the number of litters being born every year. In October 2006, the shelter contracted to also take in the Hays County and the City of Kyle strays, which tripled their intake from around 2,000 to 6,000 animals per year. As part of their agreement, the municipalities have helped fund an expansion of the shelter which includes an additional 56 dog and 45 cat kennels, quarantine areas and added office space. The construction is expected to be complete later this month.

Despite the expansion, Stratemann says, “Our main goal is to reduce the animals coming into the shelter so much that we don’t need this shelter. Hopefully that will happen in my lifetime. I try to get people to put me out of a job every day.”

In addition to the designated clinics, Boyett contracted with area veterinarians to provide spay/neuter surgeries and other services for a set fee. One vet has scheduled 31 cats and another five vets have agreed to fix an additional 103 dogs. With one more clinic scheduled on March 17 for 40-45 additional animals in Lockhart, the event’s total is in excess of 300 sterilization surgeries for those who could not otherwise afford to fix their companion animals.

“What we are providing is a human service, because it’s just like giving somebody that is poor utilities or other assistance; so they are better able to spread their limited resources to their human family,” comments Boyett. “We try the best that we can to help people on Medicaid, food stamps, disabled, working poor, or underemployed; those who wouldn’t necessarily be able to otherwise fix these animals.” She notes that the national average to house, adopt or destroy a shelter animal is around $176, yet it is approximately $46 to get an animal spayed or neutered. Not only is it the more compassionate choice to help prevent pet overpopulation, but it also makes good fiscal sense and saves taxpayer dollars.

“You can keep building the shelters,” notes Boyett, “but by preventing the births, we’re preventing the problem.”

(EmanciPET employees Kimberley Fish and Jenny Hansen prep a cat while Dr. Mindy Williams performs a spay at the MASH clinic.)

How to help:
• Make a donation to PALS to support their ongoing efforts to provide sterilization surgeries for those individuals who could not otherwise afford them for their pets.
• Be sure to have all your companion animals spayed and neutered.

For more information:
• Pet Prevent a Litter (PALS) of Central Texas
PO Box 401
San Marcos, Texas 78667
Phone: 512-754-PALS (7257)

• Other Spay Day participants included Cause for Paws, Mutt Strutt, City of San Marcos Animal Services, and emanciPET.
• Spay/Neuter Fever! community
• Spay/Neuter Resources

Photo credit: taken by Jennifer Hayes.
Lead photo shows Vanessa Medrano, who brought Bart and Lisa to one of the clinics.