Local organizations stress the importance of spay/neuter

Efforts are being made in Southwest Missouri to educate people about the importance of having their pets spayed and neutered. KSMU's Michele Skalicky reports.

DOGS BARKING INTRO

THESE DOGS AT THE SOUTHWEST MISSOURI HUMANE SOCIETY POINT TO THE NEED FOR PEOPLE TO SPAY AND NEUTER THEIR PETS

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THEY LOOK OUT FROM THEIR SMALL CAGES EAGER TO LICK A FINGER OR TWO, HOPING THE PERSON WALKING BY IS JUST THE ONE THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR TO TAKE THEM HOME.

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PET OVERPOPULATION HAS LONG BEEN A PROBLEM—BUT THE PROBLEM IS SLOWLY BEING ADDRESSED, ACCORDING TO HUMANE SOCIETY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOHN DERBY

STILL, MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CONTROL THE PET POPULATION. THAT'S WHY THE SPAY NEUTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR SNAP HAS BEGUN A CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THEIR PETS SPAYED AND NEUTERED.

JANET MARTIN IS THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR SNAP

(SUMMARY: PETS CAN BE SPAYED AND NEUTERED WHEN THEY ARE ONLY A FEW WEEKS OLD, AND HAVING A PET SPAYED AND NEUTERED CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF SOME CANCERS)

BUT DESPITE THOSE BENEFITS AND THE STRONG MESSAGE BEING SENT OUT ABOUT SPAY AND NEUTER, SOME PEOPLE STILL AREN'T LISTENING

AND SOME PEOPLE SIMPLY CAN'T AFFORD THE COST OF SPAY/NEUTER SURGERY. THAT'S WHERE SNAP COMES IN. THE ALL-VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION SPONSORS AROUND 2000 SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES A YEAR WITH THE HELP OF LOCAL VETERANARIANS WHO OFFER THEIR SERVICES TO SNAP AT A REDUCED RATE.

THAT GOES A LONG WAY, BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY ANIMALS EACH YEAR THAT ARE PUT TO SLEEP BECAUSE NOONE ADOPTS THEM.

HUMANE SOCIETY DIRECTOR JOHN DERBY

(SUMMARY: THE HUMANE SOCIETY TOOK IN 7000 ANIMALS LAST YEAR, AND ADOPTED OUT 4000 OF THEM)

WHILE THAT MAY SOUND LIKE A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT ARE PUT TO SLEEP, THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD AVERAGE. DERBY SAYS THE NATIONAL ADOPTION AVERAGE IS AROUND 27%.

THE HUMANE SOCIETY DOESN'T JUST BLINDLY ACCEPT ANIMALS. THEY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO NOT GIVE UP THEIR PETS WITHOUT A FIGHT BY OFFERING INFORMATION ABOUT PET FRIENDLY HOUSING, ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WHOSE ANIMALS HAVE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND THEY HAVE A LOW-COST SPAY-NEUTER PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIMITED INCOME.

STILL, THE ANIMALS COME IN

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SOUTHWEST MISSOURI HUMANE SOCIETY CALL 833-2526.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPAY NEUTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GO TO www.snap123.org.

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