Spaying and neutering your pets
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Transcript of Spaying and neutering your pets
Reducing the Overpopulation of Cats and Dogs: Low Cost Spay and Neuter Programs and Awareness
A Community Action Project by Serena Bruce, Senior
Lisbon Regional School
The Community Action Project Process: 8 Steps
IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM CONDUCT THE RESEARCH
EVALUATE FINDINGS IDENTIFY THE NEED IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS
COMPLETE THE ACTIONEVALUATE THE ACTION OUTCOME
SET THE LONG TERM GOAL
1. Identify the Problem
Overpopulation of Cats and Dogs
Clermont County Humane Society, Batava, Ohio: Discarded like trash, 4,000 cats and dogs are euthanized yearly.
2. Research Consisted of:Reading articles and materials about pet
overpopulation: causes, effects, and preventionLocating spay and neuter resources and programs
outside of New HampshireInterview w/ veterinarian and vet tech, while observing
live spay and neuter surgeries Locating local area and New Hampshire based spay
and neuter programs and resourcesVolunteering for and observing 2 feline spay and
neuter clinics
3. Research FindingsThe overpopulation of cats and dogs leads to homeless,
abandoned, and euthanized animals.6 -8 million homeless animals entering shelters per year.
3-4 million of them are euthanized 6 million more homeless and die from: hit by cars, cruelty, preyed on
by other animals, weather, disease, injury, and starvation. (The Humane Society)
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Research Findings Continued…What Is Spay and Neuter?
Spay and neuter: surgical procedure where an animal’s reproductive organs are removed to prevent reproduction.
Spay: removal of a female animal’s fallopian tubes, uterus, and ovaries (ovariohysterectomy).
Neutering or Altering: removal of a male’s testicles.
Research Findings Continued…
Spay and Neuter Prevent:
Diseases:Females: uterine, breast, and
ovarian cancer, and pyometra
Males: testicular cancer, FIV
(feline immunodeficiency virus),
FeLV (feline leukemia), enlarged
prostate, cysts, and prostate infections.
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Female Cat Reproductive Organs
Male Testicle Organs
Cape Ann Vet Clinic Observation 7/12
Research Findings Continued…Behavioral Issues Resolved, Improved, or Prevented through
Spay and NeuterCats will…
-release strong smelling urine or release anal glands-hump people’s legs, stuffed toys, etc.-become aggressive -females will go into heat and can roam-males will roam: hit by cars, get lost, and fight -both are more susceptible to disease and illness
through other animal bites (FeLV, rabies, distemper)
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4. Identify the Need Low income communities
-Average household income (combined income of all household members 15 and older) for Lisbon and surrounding communities:
$49,000 (United States Census Bureau , 2010)
-Residents, and their pets, can benefit from low-cost spay/neuter clinics
Expensive at the local veterinarian clinics and hospitals
-Average spay/neuter costs:
Canine (based on weight) $150.00-$300.00
Feline $100.00-$175.00
plus required exam fee (35-45), blood work (60+), and vaccines (20+ ea.)
-Cost deters and prevents pet owners from having their pets spayed and/or neutered
-Vet clinics are for profit and spay/neuter clinics are not for profit
-Vet clinics contribute to existing problems associated with homelessness due to high (some clinics do work with local area shelters by donating some services and give discounts)
-Thousands of dogs and cats still waiting in NH shelters in need of homes
5. Indentify SolutionsInform the public about the problem of pet
overpopulationEducate the public about the importance of spay
and neuter and its benefitsGive the public opportunity to afford to have their
pet spayed or neuteredHelp prevent and reduce the overpopulation of
cats and dogs through low-cost spay and neuter programs
6. Complete the Action What did I do?
Created awareness and opportunity
in my community…
Through…
Education and information
Organization of a feline
spay/neuter clinic
Organize and fundraise for the mobile feline spay and neuter
clinic in Lisbon
The Rozzie May Animal Alliance is
out of Conway, NH. They have a mobile
feline unit that travels to low income areas. I
organized for the mobile clinic to come
to Lisbon.
Organizing ClinicFind place to host the spay and neuter clinicContacted Bette Liveston to ask for
permissionWrote letter to CEO
Next…Contacted Rozzie May to set up a date Planned date was December 20th, 2012Fix-it wagon ( a 42 foot trailer) to spay and neuter the
cats in. Set co-pay: agreed co-pay would only be $15.00
Next…Developed informational flyers and
registration formsDistributed information Throughout project, consistently and
constantly in contact with Bette and Rozz.
Getting the word out…
Flyers
Brochure
Newspaper Advertising
Networking
Funding for Spay and Neuter Clinic
Raise money to cover the costs of the clinic: Collect co-paysRaise $1,160 dollars
- Private donations
-Business donations
- Wristband sales
•Interview with Andrea
Fitzgerald.
Prepared for Clinic and Pre-registered Clients and pets
Wrote down the owner’s informationWrote down the cats informationDoing rabies or not.Bring rabies certificate if already had rabies
vaccineTold them what was included Had to call everyone back the night before for
a reminder.
The day of the clinic
•People arrived between 7:45 and 8:30 a.m.
•Had 26 cats show up.• Had to register people
with the papers that Rozz had.
•It was kind of hectic and stressful trying to
register everyone.
•After registration, the cats would be
loaded into the trailer.•. I helped load the
cats on.
•The felines would receive an:•Exam
•Rabies vaccine (if needed)
•Distemper (if needed)•Ear cleaning• Nail trimming
•Flea treatment to kill live fleas
•and the surgery.
The actual surgery
A female getting spayed
Prevented thousands of animals from being homeless and euthanized:
implemented the clinic
There is a cyst on one the fallopian
tubes.
The incision is getting
stitched back up.
A male cat ready to be neutered.
Making the cut into the scrotum to
take the testicles out.
The testicles after being removed.
•Took two hours for recovery. • Last cat left around 5:00• I stayed there until the last cat was picked up.•Clinic was a
success!
7. Results and Evaluation of the Action
• 26 cats registered for the clinic •Most patients had severe cases of ear
mites•Most patients had fleas
•No surgical problems during or after the clinic
•No recovery issues at home• Received very positive feedback from
people•Received requests for another clinic
8. Long Term Goal
Organization and implementation of a spay and neuter clinic once a year at
various locations and communities in and around Lisbon.
The main point of my project!
Each day, thousands of animals are euthanized. Thousands more are left on the street to die of starvation, be hit by cars, suffer alone from abuse or the cold.
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These animals are left without homes, compassion, warmth, understanding, and love. They don’t know what it’s like to have a loving family. These animals don’t deserve this kind of neglect.
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Don’t be part of the problem, help fix the problem
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Works CitedASPCA. ASPCA, n.d. Web. 13 Dec 2012.
<http://www.aspca.org/>.Manwaring, Rozz. Rozzie May Animal Alliance.
N.p.. Web. 28 Feb 2013. http://www.rozziemay.org.
The Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society, n.d. Web. 13 Dec 2012. http://www.humanesociety.org/
. United States Census Bureau . United States Census Bureau, n.d. Web. 28 Feb 2013. <www.census.gov>.