All certificates already sold before April clinic was canceled
Friends of the Gilmer Animal Shelter (FOGAS) have announced a reschedule date for a discount spay-neuter clinic that was supposed to have taken place April 17, but was canceled due the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new date for the clinic at the Gilmer County Civic Center, 1561 South Main Street, is Friday, July 24.
Pets can be dropped off at the Civic Center from 8-10 a.m. the day of the event and no pets will be taken in after the 10 a.m. cutoff. Services will be provided by Dr. Craig Chester and staff from Animal Medical Clinic in Jasper. Walk-up appointments will not be available since all certificates for the rescheduled clinic have already been sold.
Several new safety precautions will be in place at the event, confirmed FOGAS member Ernie Taylor. Most importantly, certificate holders will drop off their pets outside the Civic Center instead of bringing them inside as has been done at past spay-neuter clinics.
“Only FOGAS volunteers and veterinarian staff can be admitted into the building,” Taylor noted.
Pet owners will call a special phone number and wait in their vehicle when they arrive at the Civic Center. Taylor said someone from FOGAS will call certificate holders to give them that number in advance and the number will also be posted on the Civic Center entrance the day of the clinic.
“We’re asking people to stay in their vehicles. We will be coming out to them for the little bit of paperwork we will need to be filled out and to get their certificate. Vet technicians will retrieve the animals from the vehicles. We will also be using single-use ink pens,” he added.
The same procedure will be followed for picking up treated pets. Owners will call the number and wait in their cars for vet staff to bring animals out and provide postoperative instructions.
FOGAS volunteers and vet staff will be wearing protective masks and pet owners are also encouraged to wear masks when dropping off and picking up, Taylor noted.
Members of FOGAS are having difficulty notifying some of the certificate holders about the rescheduled event. They want to get the word out so those who purchased the discount certificates earlier this year will be able to redeem them.
“They gave us their phone numbers, but a good percentage of them either don’t have a voice mail set up or their voice mail is full and they aren’t answering,” Taylor noted.
The nonprofit might do more spay neuter clinics this year, but that will depend on the amount of available funding.
“We plan to do more, but it’s going to be limited and probably not as many as last year. Our funding has really dried up because of COVID-19,” Taylor said.
With several of its events and fundraisers being derailed by the virus pandemic, FOGAS has started a new fundraiser, $5 Fridays, through Facebook. More information on how to donate can be found on the Gilmer County Animal Shelter Facebook page.
“On Fridays, we are asking for a donation of just $5 from as many of our followers who are able to donate. It goes to the shelter where they’re also trying to get more spay and neuters (done). The funds will be used to enhance spay and neuter programs to help reduce the overpopulation of dogs and cats in this county,” Taylor said.
Those who have purchased certificates for the upcoming spay-neuter clinic can reach Taylor at 810-623-2214 with questions.