FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                 April 1, 2024

Media Contact: Torre Chisholm, torre@friendsofpacc.org, 520-784-3373

 

Friends of Pima Animal Care Center launching affordable Spay/Neuter Project

Goal to address shelter overcrowding and expand accessibility for responsible pet care

 

PIMA COUNTY – Friends of Pima Animal Care Center announces the launch of a new initiative to address shelter overcrowding by expanding local accessible spay/neuter surgeries. The SPAY/NEUTER SUPPORT project, nicknamed SNS, will be a sustained preventive means to address chronic overpopulation at PACC and other Pima County shelters.

Building on the important efforts of other local organizations that provide affordable and accessible spay/neuter surgeries and other critical animal care, Friends of PACC will focus on building sustainable funding to expand the accessibility of spay/neuter surgeries. According to Friends of PACC Board Chair Laura O’Brien, “Spaying and Neutering is a safe and effective means to avoid unwanted animal litters and reduce certain health risks for cats and dogs. This, in turn, makes it an impactful method to help reduce shelter animal intake and save animals from euthanasia.”

SNS will facilitate access to spay/neuter surgeries and other responsible pet care for those who need it most. SNS services will be delivered through multiple programs intended to provide consistent care throughout the year.

1)     Hosting mega-clinic spay/neuter events for kittens and puppies at peak seasons.

2)     Sponsoring community clinics provided by PACC’s mobile medical unit, Karen’s Karing Van.

3)     Year-round SNIP (Spay/Neuter Inclusion Program) project to underwrite spay/neuter surgeries at local animal clinics.

Spay and Neuter surgeries are universally recognized as the most effective means of managing the pet population. A systemic, consistent spay/neuter program is an effective preventive strategy to reduce the intake of animals at PACC. Through SNS, Friends of PACC aims to take a proactive approach to reducing shelter intake, ensuring that PACC’s services are reserved for the animals in most need of help.

Saving the lives of our animal companions is a shared community concern involving the participation of concerned citizens, animal care professionals, and animal welfare organizations.  “We look forward to working with all the involved parties to create a better future for the animals who enrich our community,” says O’Brien, “Ultimately, the success of SNS will depend on the private financial support we secure to facilitate more surgeries.”

 

Facts about the importance of Spay/Neuter:

In just three years, an unaltered dog can produce 512 puppies and an unaltered cat 382 kittens. Each spay/neuter surgery potentially prevents hundreds of animals from ending up in a shelter. 

A cat can have 2-3 litters per year (starting at five months), with an average of 5-6 kittens per for up to 10 years.

A dog can have two litters per year with an average of 6-7 puppies per for up to 9 years.

Spay/Neuter has numerous benefits, including a 3-5 year increased lifespan, lower risk for cancer, and reduced spraying or marking, reduced roaming and aggression.

For every human born, 15 dogs and 45 cats are born. Without spay/neuter, there will never be enough humans to care for them all.

28% of PACC dog intake are puppies nine months old or less. 40% of cats are nine months or less, the direct result of unwanted litters.

 

Friends of PACC is the official nonprofit, philanthropic partner of Pima Animal Care Center. Its mission is to support Pima Animal Care Center and enhance its efforts to save the lives of pets in need. Their vision is that every pet served by Pima Animal Care Center is supported with the resources needed for a safe, healthy, and happy future. Follow Friends of PACC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.