Spay/Neuter Certificate Sale February 8th at Tractor Supply
Submitted by
Be-Paws We Care
“Spay it forward” is a way to support National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, which takes place in February. The goal of this month-long campaign is to educate people about the benefits of spaying and neutering pets, and to encourage responsible pet ownership.
Pet overpopulation has become a national crisis. There clearly are not enough homes for the number of cats and dogs born each year, and too many of them will die in shelters. About 7.6 million unwanted pets enter U.S. animal shelters every year, and about 2.7 million of them are euthanized—roughly 31 percent of dogs and 41 percent of cats, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (www.aspca.org).
Locally, this overpopulation is evident if you follow social media or witness the number of cats and dogs that are roaming our streets.
There are multiple posts daily about pets found as strays, left abandoned or puppies needing homes. Just in the last week, the Pickens Animal Shelter posted about 14 very young puppies that were surrendered and in Gilmer, a mama dog tied to a milk crate with her puppies and found abandoned in the freezing temperatures.
These are not isolated incidents either, it has been going on for years. Cats and dogs are our pets, yet frequently they are treated as disposable commodities. They are dependent on us for survival, and we have a responsibility for their welfare.
The first step to control the population is to spay or neuter your pet. Spaying and neutering prevents unplanned, unwanted litters, which can help reduce the number of homeless animals or those entering our shelter.
Other benefits from spaying or neutering your pet is that it helps reduce risk of disease. Spaying female pets reduces the risk of uterine infections and breast cancer, while neutering male pets reduces the risk of testicular cancer and prostate disease.
Also, it improves behavior as spaying and neutering can reduce aggression, roaming, and urine marking.
Yes, this can be an expensive surgery, but since 2020 Be-Paws We Care, Inc. (BPWC) because of their generous sponsors has subsidized these surgeries for Pickens County GA residents in NEED through SNIP – Spay/Neuter Initiative Pickens.
Nearly 1,500 pets have been “fixed” since then. BPWC holds quarterly Certificate sales dependent on available funds. Certificates are issued for $35 for a cat and dogs are $45. Those of low income, seniors over 65 and our veterans will get an additional discount.
The next Low Cost Spay/Neuter Certificate Sale is Saturday, February 8th at Tractor Supply in Jasper from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Certificates issued will then be redeemed at specific clinic days for BPWC certificate holders at All the Fixins Veterinary clinic in Ball Ground during the month of February. Additional details are on our website: https://www.be-pawswecareinc.com/low-cost-certificate-sale.
