& Neuter Spay
an Informational Guide for Statesboro, Georgia
FACTS ABOUT
SPAYING & NEUTERING Why is it so important? • Helps put an end to pet overpopulation • Improves your pets long-term health • Improves the pets behavior • Reduces overall expenses Spaying and neutering helps keep your pet healthy and promotes a longer lifespan. • For males, neutering prevents testicular cancer, prostate disease, and hernias. It can also reduce aggressive behaviors, spraying (foul urine smell from marking), stops mounting, and reduces roaming desire. • Spaying a female prevents health problems such as pyometra (uterine infections), breast cancer, and prevents female from having “heat” periods. Breast cancer is best prevented in a female if she is altered before first heat.
If left unaltered, males end up with fighting
or vehicle injuries (inquired from roaming); females may have problematic pregnancies that lead to surgery or cesareans (c-sections).
Spaying & Neutering Q & A What does spaying & neutering mean? • Spaying is the process of removing the females’ ovaries and uterus so she cannot bear offspring. • Neutering is the removal of the males’ reproductive organs, located in the scrotum.
How old must the animal be before surgery? • Veterinarian’s recommend 12 weeks/4 months. • Early age neutering: healthy dogs/cats can be altered as early as 8 weeks of age, but they must be at least 2lbs.
The Myths of Spaying & Neutering
• Myth 1: My pet won’t be as good of a protector. When neutered, your pet will retain its natural instinct to protect his family and home. He will be less likely to roam, be happier, and live a longer, healthier lifespan. If left unaltered, males may become more aggressive which should not be mistaken with the concept of being protective. • Myth 2: My pet will become fat & lazy. If your pet gets proper nutrition and exercise they will not gain weight or become lazy. • Myth 3: My pet will loose his “manliness”. This is untrue as pets do not possess the same sexuality as people and only mate based on instinctual desires.
LOW-COST
SPAYING & NEUTERING SNAC: Spay Neuter Alliance & Clinic • Non-profit organization that provides highvolume and low-cost spaying & neutering. • Fully-staffed clinic in Ridgeland, SC that proudly serves Bulloch county. SNAC offers free transportation for all pets. All pets are pre-screens pets and they are kept overnight for monitoring after the spay/neuter procedure. • For more information: • www.hhhumane.org or call 843.645.2500
$20 Fix
Humane Society of Statesboro & Bulloch County
• Pet owner pays $20 for a spay/neuter voucher. The Humane Society pays the remaining balance with money from fundraising & donations. • Voucher is only available for students (student ID required) and those with low income or other forms of living assistance. Must meet financial eligibility requirements (photo ID required) and must be a Bulloch County resident.
• For more information:
• http://www.statesborohumane.org/20-fix/ or call 912.681.9393 and leave a message.
$40 Fix
Friends of Screven County Animals (FOSCA), Sylvania, GA
• Pet owner pays $40 for a spay/neuter voucher and FOSCA pays the remaining balance with money from fundraising & donations.
• Voucher is only available for those with low income or other forms of living assistance. Must meet financial eligibility requirements (photo ID required) and must be a Screven County resident.
• For more information: • www.friendsofscrevencountyanimals.org/ SpayNeuter or call 912.564.0005
S.A.F.E. Spay/Neuter Unit - Petco • S.A.F.E. is a 26 foot mobile spay/neuter unit that travels from Macon, GA to offer high-quality, low-cost spaying and neutering procedures. • All spay/neuter fees include rabies vaccination and a 24 hour injection. Females in heat are fixed at no extra cost to the owner. • Appointments must be scheduled in advance. Prices are based upon the animals weight. • For more information: • Call 478.550.5050 or visit facebook page, keyword: S.A.F.E. Spay/Neuter Unit at PetCo in Statesboro
ISSUES WITH PET
OVERPOPULATION Georgia Pet Overpopulation Issues Pet overpopulation in Georgia is an issue which needs a resolution. A study by Southern Animal Rescue, a first of its kind, represents the affects of overpopulation of dogs and cats alike. They discovered the following for 2007: • 250,000 dogs & cats are euthanized in shelters annually. • An average, 685 dogs and cats are killed daily. • Pets end up in shelters due to economy changes, people losing their homes, moving, and other various reasons to why they are no longer wanted.
Georgia is one of the worst states for shelter overpopulation and euthanasia because people refuse to spay & neuter their pets. Often times this results from: • Breeders that are more interested in the money then their animals. Such breeding is often in poor living conditions and dogs are not healthy or are disease ridden and in the long run mean a multitude of veterinarian visits for new owners. • Animals, who are left unaltered, become lost or abandoned and seek out mates. • Adoption from rescues and shelters, and reduction of unnecessary breeding, will help reduce the large euthanasia in Georgia.
Tax payers are knowingly spending excessive amounts of
money on county and state funded shelters to pay for the unnecessary pet euthanization.
The United States overpopulation statistics include: • Dogs • 83.3 million - people that own dogs • 47% of households own at least one dog • 70% of people own one dog • 20% of people own two dogs • 10% of owners have three or more dogs • 1.47 is the average number of dogs per household • 20% of dogs are adopted from shelters • $231 is the average cost of routine veterinary visits • 83% of dogs are spayed & neutered • Male to female dog ownership is even.
• Cats • 95.6 million - people that own cats • 46% of households own at least one cat • 31% of people own two cats • 24% of owners have three or more cats • 2.11 is the average number of cats per household • 26% of cats are adopted from shelters • $193 is the average cost of routine veterinary visits • 91% of cats are spayed & neutered • 73% vs 62% - difference between owning female vs male cats.
Solutions for the problem include: • Spay & Neuter your pets & keep ID tags on them at all times. • Adopt pets from shelters or rescues.
VETERINARIANS OF STATESBORO & SURROUNDING AREAS Best Friends Animal Hospital Dr. Debbie Edwards, Statesboro, GA
912.764.7387 www.bestfriendsanimalhospital-ga.com
Gateway Animal Hospital
Dr. Gary Edwards, Statesboro, GA
912.681.7387 www.gatewayvets.com
Statesboro/Bulloch Regional Veterinary Hospital
Dr. William Morgan, Dr. Ben Nessmith, Dr. Billy Nessmith, Dr. Jessica Hood, Dr. Marshall Moore
912.764.1001 www.sbrvet.com
Screven County Veterinary Service Dr. Pat Dyar, Sylvania, GA
912.564.1121 www.facebook.com/screvenvet
University Animal Hospital Dr. Barry Wolfe, Statesboro, GA
912.489.1998 www.university-animal-hospital.com
Westside Veterinary Hospital Dr. Stan Lee, Statesboro, GA
912.243.9162 www.westsidevethospital.com
RESCUES, SHELTERS
& MUCH MORE Rescues
• Friends of Screven County Animals (FOSCA)
912.564.0005 or www.friendsofscrevencountyanimals.org/Home.htm A licensed, non-profit shelter in Sylvania, GA that provides care for dogs and puppies, mostly large breeds. Our mission is to save as many dogs and cats as possible and find them new homes.
• Georgia Animal Rescue & Defense, Inc. (GARD)
Shelter Phone: 912.653.2480 or Kennel Manager: 912.271.4749 www.gardonline.org A registered, non-profit shelter in Pembroke, GA that is a no-kill shelter and is funded by private contributions, or donations only. It is a privately owned facility that is dedicated to saving the lives of animals in need and educating individuals about overpopulation issues.
• Humane Society of Statesboro & Bulloch County
Shelter Phone: 912.681.9393 or www.statesborohumane.org This is a non-profit organization that works to protect the animal welfare of Bulloch County through education, rescue, low-cost spay/neuter programs, and overpopulation control. HSSBC has been active for 30 years.
• Save Our Souls (SOS) Animal Rescue
Cynthia Simerson - Owner/Operator 912.547.4129 or www.saveoursoulsanimalrescue.org A licensed, non-profit shelter in Claxton, GA that provides care for dogs and puppies, mostly large breeds. Our mission is to save as many dogs as possible form certain death, find them permanent homes, and educate the public on the importance animal welfare.
• Saves The Animals Rescue Society (STARS) & Dogs Live Happy
Sissy Haskell - Owner/Operator 912.852.2200 or www.dogslivehappy.com & www.starsgeorgia.com An independent and non-profit rescue that operates solely on donations. Rescues animals that are homeless and abused, and makes sure they get the care and treatment they need so they are healthy when relocated to their permanent homes.
Shelters • Bulloch County Animal Shelter
Shelter: 912.764.4529 or http://bullochcounty.net/government/ departments-a-to-e/animal-shelter/ Shelter facility which has 48 cat kennels, housing for 1-25 feral cats, and 18 kennels for dogs. The kennels also include an adoption floor.
Additional Resources • Care Credit Healthcare Card
Usable for some veterinarian offices for those who qualify for the credit card financially. www.carecredit.com/vetmed/ Care credit allows you to charge doctor visits if you can’t pay for it upfront, the care credit card is usable for your family, even