Spay/Neuter Vouchers to Help Solve Fayette County’s Pet Overpopulation
The Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter, which serves all of Fayette County, has taken in 1,288 animals, year to date, as of Dec. 1, 2020 – 718 kittens/cats and 570 puppies/dogs.
“How in the world do we have 1,288 abandoned and neglected pets in Fayette County?” Shelter Director Teresa Stanley Brown asked. “Honestly, the lack of spay and neuter is the fundamental problem. Preventing pets from reproducing by removal of their reproductive organs is the best way to prevent pet overpopulation.”
And, she added, “There’s no truth to the old wives’ tale that a dog or cat should have a least one litter first. That’s totally unnecessary from the standpoint of a pet’s physical or emotional needs and produces more off spring that suffer from being unwanted.”
What are the direct benefits of spay and neuter? It helps animals live longer and healthier lives. It reduces or often eliminates the risk of spraying and marking. Often animals have less desire to roam and therefore are less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents, or cause problem for neighbors. The risk of cancer in the reproductive organs is decreased and it reduces the number of unwanted litters of kittens and puppies. Cats can have as many as five litters of kittens a year; dogs can have up to three.
Unwanted animals are becoming a very real concern here in Fayette County, not to mention a public health and safety risk. The shelter takes in stray dogs every day for chasing livestock and other animals and stray cats for spraying in gardens and shrubbery and for killing songbirds. The shelter also gets strays from area animal control officers for causing automobile accidents.
The shelter’s Cat Nip/Dog Snip voucher program for Fayette County residents can help offset the cost of a spay or neuter. This voucher is accepted at any veterinary clinic in Fayette County. The cost is $30 for a cat (valued at $60 at a clinic) and $45 for a dog (valued at $90 at a clinic).
This Cat Nip/Dog Snip is partially funded by grants, but the shelter is asking for more community support to continue this effort.
“We have a list a mile long of what we need to keep up proper animal care of our pet ‘guests,’ but helping fund this program is vital in helping reduce the overpopulation of stray animals that find their way into our care,” Stanley-Brown said. “We are eternally grateful for our ever-growing community of supporters.”
There are several ways to donate to the animal shelter. You can donate by check, cash, or via the website at www.janssenanimalshelter.org.
“The end result of your donations will be that the health and safety of our community, and our pet population, will benefit by helping pet owners ensure their pets are spayed and neutered,” Stanley-Brown said.