Spay/neuter animal clinic ready for pets

It aims to cut number of unwanted animals, reduce euthanasia rate

By Michael Hewlett

In the war of words over the management of the Forsyth County Animal Control Department last year, critics and supporters agreed on one issue: the county should step up efforts to sterilize pets.

A low-cost spay/neuter clinic that Save the Animals, a Winston-Salemn nonprofit group, opened in March could help deal with that need.

"This opening of the low-cost clinic will be a great help to our concerns, " said Tim Jennings, the county's animal control director.

The county has already put in place differential licensing, which charges pet owners higher fees if they do no sterilize their cats and dogs.

Save the Animals had been sponsoring trips for cats and dogs to Humane Alliance, a nonprofit spay/neuter hospital in Asheville, as well as other clinics.

In January 2003, the organization began raising money to build the Spay Neuter Clinic, said Carol Nelson, the clinic's director. In September, it bought a 5,000-square-foot building and has spent about $375,000 to buy and renovate the building Nelson said.

Save the Animals raised money from individuals, who wished to remain anonymous, and such organizations as DJ & T Foundation.

North Carolina officials inspected the clinic Feb, 24, a step required for it to be open to the public, said Susan Courtney, the administrative secretary for the N.C. Veterinary Medical Board.

The clinic opened March 1. Mitchell Spindel, a local veterinarian, oversees the medical operations.

Nelson said that five veterinarians perform surgeries at the clinic, which is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Two veterinarians now work each day, she said. The goal is to have four veterinarians performing surgeries everyday and have the clinic open on Friday, she said. At full operating capacity, the clinic would be able to do about 20,000 surgeries a year.

The Forsythe Humane Society, Davidson County's animal shelter and other organizations bring their animals in to be sterilized, Nelson said.

It costs $55 to sterilize a dog, whether male or female. Pet owners pay $50 for a female cat and $35 for a male cat, Nelson said. Rescue organizations receive a discount.

Jennings said that a program such as The Spay Neuter Clinic would help reduce the number of unwanted animals in the community and reduce the shelters euthanasia rate. Many people cite cost as the main reason for not having their animals sterilized, he said.

"Just having a subsidized clinic takes away a lot of those excuses for people," he said.

Article published in Winston-Salem Journal