The Humane Society of Northeast Georgia reached a milestone Wednesday when its 80,000th spay/neuter surgery was performed. The procedure was performed on a 12-week-old Pit Bull mix named Champion Grayson.
“When HSNEGA began offering affordable spay/neuter surgery, we never imagined having the reach and impact we’ve had throughout north Georgia,” says Julie Edwards, HSNEGA’s Executive Director. “Of course, this achievement is only possible due to the dedicated, continuous support of the community as well as the clinical excellence of our spay/neuter team who’ve been specially trained in a high-volume surgery environment.”
HSNEGA began offering spay/neuter surgery in May 2005 as an effort to curb the growing issue of pet overpopulation in north Georgia. The clinical team performs surgery on public animals with no residency or income restrictions. HSNEGA also provides surgical services for rescues and other animal welfare agencies.
“While we’re able to offer surgery at a lower cost because of the volume we perform, we also believe it’s a critical part of our mission to provide this service to our community’s pets and people as well as at-need rescues,” Edwards says. “Unfortunately, even with the number of surgeries we’ve been able to perform, there is still a pet overpopulation problem throughout our region, which illustrates how important it is to continue offering this service for area residents.”
Currently, HSNEGA offers surgery starting at $65. Surgery is scheduled by appointment; however, the animals must be at least 2 pounds and/or 8 weeks old in order to have surgery.
“I would encourage all pet owners to have their animals spayed or neutered because there are multiple health and behavioral benefits,” says Dr. Jaime Feroli, HSNEGA’s Medical Director and Lead Veterinarian.
HSNEGA’s spay/neuter services are funded in part by surgery fees but also are subsidized by corporate grants and private donations from individuals and businesses. Currently, HSNEGA is offering $25 surgeries for all cats and male dogs 40 lbs. and under through a community grant from PetSmart Charities.
To learn more about the Spay/Neuter Center at the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia, including information on appointments, contact HSNEGA at 770-532-6617 or visit www.HSNEGA.org.
