Humane Society lends a helping paw

The decision to spay or neuter a pet is one that many people have to make. It can also be one of the most important petcare options. Nearly all veterinarian clinics offer the procedures, but there are other places that provide it for a much cheaper cost, such as the Humane Society of Clark County. The latest clinic was on Mar. 8 – 10, with new ones coming every two months.

“You do have to pre-register and pre-pay before you are able to come with your pet,” said Janie Allen, president of the Humane Society of Clark County. “The reason for this is that the vets who do the procedures can only do so many in a day so it’s important to have a set number of pets ready to go throughout the three days available.”

If someone is not pre-registered, it is not guaranteed that a spot will be available. It is also important that people pre-pay to ensure that all those who signed up show for the procedure. Local veterinarians conduct the operations at a reduced cost, so it is important to Allen and her team to not waste the veterinarian’s time and resources.

“The animals do have to be around eight to ten weeks and must weigh over two pounds,” Allen said.
It is recommended, however, that owners wait until the animal is around a year of age. According to Allen, the lifespans of dogs and cats who get the procedure are much longer. The risk of getting breast cancer in females and colon cancer in males is decreased, and their temperament typically improves.

“Despite all of the great reasons to get your animal fixed, one of my top reasons is to avoid overpopulation,” Allen said. “Arkadelphia has a very large problem with dumping puppies and kittens so people end up finding them and bringing them here to avoid the animals getting hurt.”

With cars constantly on the road, a river nearby, animal traps from hunters, and predatory wild animals, animals who are abandoned are at risk of disease, and worst of all, death. When people get their animals fixed, it will reduce the cat and dog population which will result in less of being dumped or surrendered to the shelter.

“Our whole mission is to save and protect these babies,” Allen said. “But at times we run out of space, so it is extremely important for us and the community to reduce the animal population.”

The procedure costs $80 for dogs under 70 pounds, and that also includes a rabies shot. For cats, it costs $55 with a rabies shot.

The next spay and neuter event will be May 10 – 12. The Humane Society is open from Tuesday to Friday from 12 to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm and is currently accepting volunteers to help with day-to-day animal upkeep. Monetary donations are accepted, as well as products such as paper towels, bleach, and non-clumping kitty litter.