Albuquerque’s Animal Humane Leads Way
In Bernalillo County Cat Spay Program
Animal Humane has launched a spay blitz for female cats of low-income Bernalillo County residents. The Albuquerque nonprofit is calling the effort the Bernco Blitz.
Nine veterinary clinics were partnered with Animal Humane as of Friday, March 20, when the newspaper article about the program appeared in the “Fetch!” section of the Albuquerque Journal. Animal Humane seeks to add more clinics to the list of Bernco Blitz participants.
Animal Humane is screening applicants who wish to have their cats spayed for free, or at a low cost. Again, the program is for Bernalillo County residents only, and their female cats.
Please read the full article below, or on the Bernco Blitz here.
CAT CONTROL
Animal Humane offers a low-cost spaying program
in Bernalillo County to reduce the number
of unwanted litters
Journal Staff Report
Of the 11,500 or so stray, lost or abandoned cats taken to the city’s public shelters last year, only 3 percent were reclaimed by their owners. Over at Animal Humane, a private nonprofit, close to 900 kittens showed up on the door in boxes.
“Literally thousands of cats were euthanized in the city of Albuquerque last year,” says Peggy Weigle, executive director at Animal Humane. “Thousands.”
Animal Humane’s Bernalillo County spay blitz, or Bernco Blitz, is a new program to prevent those deaths by preventing unwanted litters. “We’ve got to spay our way out of the problem,” Weigle says.
The program has discounted co-pays for pet owners to make spay surgeries affordable, and free spays for cats 6 months and younger, depending on income. See the chart on Page B3, but as an example, a four-person household earning $53,938 or less qualifies. Weigle says on the average, a cat can have three litters by the time her owners have her fixed.
And a cat can have her first litter when she’s as young as 4 months, so spaying young cats is especially important. “Before 6 months old is a big way to really make an impact on the population,” Weigle says.
The Bernalillo County blitz is for county residents only and for female cats only — it does not include neutering males.
The program is based on one started seven years ago in Buffalo, N.Y., Weigle says.
“They went on the notion that they had to fix a certain percentage of cats over and above what the community was doing, so the number of cats born could all find homes,” Weigle says.
“The city of Buffalo last summer did not euthanize a single healthy cat.”
The goal: spaying 2,550 cats.
Here's how it works
The Blitz is for: Female cats and kittens only. Bernalillo County residents only.
To participate, call 991-4815, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or leave a message.
Do not call the clinics directly.
Animal Humane will qualify you if you meet the income guide for a discounted co-pay (see chart) or a free spay, and issue an authorization code good for 30 days. It will direct you to the nearest participating veterinary clinic. You will make the appointment, using the authorization code.
There is no limit to how many cats in the household that can be spayed under the program. To become qualified, you must show proof of residency and income.
* Fax, mail or bring a picture ID, proofs of income and residency to Animal Humane:
615 Virginia SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
fax, 265-6470
If the cat is up to date on vaccinations and rabies shots, fax, mail or bring proof. If not, you’ll have to pay for the necessary shots.
Proof of income
* Two pay stubs dated within the past month for all wage earners in the household
* OR award letter or bank statement showing total amount of income (Social Security, pension, retirement, disability or survivors’ benefits, etc.)
* OR W2s or tax documentation for the prior year. Above low-income pet owners will have to provide this.
Proof of residency
* Gas, water or electric bill for a service address in Bernalillo County.
Costs
Kittens 6 months or younger will be spayed for free if the pet owner’s income is no greater than the median income (see chart).
Kittens and cats older than 6 months:
* Low income-owned cats, $20 copayment
* Lower Middle Income-owned cats, $40 copayment
* Median Income-owned cats, $50 copayment
* An additional $10 will be charged for pregnant cats or cats in heat.
* Vaccinations if needed, must be paid for at the time of service.
* Animal Humane’s lowcost spay/neuter program for low-income pet owners is still available for dogs, male cats and kittens, and female cats and kittens, with no residency restrictions.
* This is not a program for feral cats. Animal Humane has a separate program for them.
Art: Cathryn Cunningham, Journal
Posted with permission from the Albuquerque Publishing Company.
..........
Mayor’s Dog Ball 2009
It’s time once again to join Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez and First Dog Dukes for the 2009 Mayor’s Dog Ball at the Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Rd., on Sat. March 28.
The sixth annual dog-friendly event will benefit the city’s Animal Welfare Department, and the Albuquerque Kennel Kompadres Foundation. For more information or tickets call 311 in Albuquerque, or visit: http://www.cabq.gov/pets/news.
|
