Gilmer pet owners can spay and neuter their pets for extremely discounted rates because of a program sponsored by Homeward Bound.
“We have a terrible overpopulation of dogs and cats,” Homeward Bound board member Heather Campbell said. “If everyone spayed and neutered their pets, this problem would be cut by 90 percent.”
At a time when pet overpopulation is a pressing issue for Gilmer’s animal shelter, spaying and neutering is especially important.
The program comes in the form of vouchers for dog and cat spaying and neutering at Wayside Animal Hospital on 545 Highland Crossing in East Ellijay, she said.
Before performing the surgeries, Wayside Animal Hospital requires that pets have up-to-date rabies and distemper vaccines.
Dogs cost $62 and cats cost $47 to neuter or spay.
The certificates are available for purchase online at https://homeward-bound-paws-and-claws.mybigcommerce.com.
If people can’t afford these fees, Homeward Bound can work to give them further discounts, Campbell said.
Each month, about 25 cat certificates and 25 dog certificates are available, she said. They’re distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
“By the middle of the month, the certificates are gone,” Campbell said.
Homeward Bound is committed to offering these programs for the foreseeable future.
“We’ve dedicated ourselves to setting a certain amount of money aside every year in our budget specifically for the spay-neuter program,” Campbell said.
These prices are especially convenient because they make no price adjustment for the size or sex of the animal neutered, she said.
Without a voucher, neutering or spaying a pet can cost hundreds of dollars.
“[People are] delighted because they couldn’t do it otherwise, especially if they have multiple animals,” Campbell said.
Neutering and spaying pets doesn’t just mean they won’t have unwanted puppies or kittens. It also can give pets better behavior and longer life, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
As Homeward Bound celebrates 25 years of service to the Gilmer community with a 5 p.m. Aug. 16 fundraiser at 723 Highland Parkway, East Ellijay, it is grateful for the community’s help, Campbell said.
This program and the rest of Homeward Bound exists “thanks to just the generosity of the people in the community and those outside who donated,” she said.