Friends of the Gilmer Animal Shelter (FOGAS) will be able to sponsor at least one more discount spay-neuter clinic this year.
Certificates for that clinic, scheduled to take place Friday, Sept. 11, at the Gilmer County Civic Center, will be sold in the parking lot of the East Ellijay Tractor Supply store Sunday, Aug. 9, starting at 1 p.m.
The one-day sale will be conducted in a “park and pay” fashion, noted Ernie Taylor, FOGAS volunteer. Certificates will not be sold inside the store, which has been done previously, he added.
“This will be the first time we’ve tried this,” said Taylor.
“In an attempt to make this sale COVID-19 compliant, we are selling these subsidized spay/neuter certificates in the parking lot of Tractor Supply and we are asking people to stay in their vehicles.
“They will be sold in the back of the parking lot, behind the fenced merchandise area. Watch for the FOGAS tent, banner and chalk-numbered parking spots.”
Only 30 of the $25 spay-neuter certificates will be available and sales will be first-come, first-served. A rabies vaccination is included in the price.
“We’re doing them only by exact change or check. We don’t take credit or debit cards,” noted Taylor.
There will be a one certificate per parking spot limit and a valid Gilmer County ID is required for purchase.
The most recent FOGAS-sponsored spay-neuter clinic, held July 24 at the Civic Center, saw 24 dogs and cats attended to by staff of Jasper’s Animal Medical Clinic.
That event was made possible by support from Gilmer Commission Chairman Charlie Paris, the Gilmer County Animal Shelter and FOGAS volunteers, noted Taylor.
ew safety precautions that were in place at the clinic included pet owners staying in their cars, veterinary technicians coming outside to pick up and return pets and requesting masks be worn by volunteers and customers. The same precautions will be followed at the Sept. 11 clinic.
“It’ll be done in exactly the same format,” confirmed Taylor.
FOGAS hopes to sponsor one more discount spay-neuter clinic before this year is up, but, in the interim, they are also planning to host a drive-thru rabies vaccination clinic in September, noted Taylor.
A location and date for that event will be announced when all permitting has been finalized.