The low, constant growl of the gray tom cat provided the backdrop for our work. A cage full of fluffy newborn kittens mewed for their absent mother. Anxious eyes peered out through cage bars as we examined each cat and began the methodical process of prepping them for surgery. This was the scene at the first low-cost spay/neuter clinic co-hosted by the Whitingham Animal Group (WAG), a local grassroots coalition that The HSUS heads in the Vermont town that the New England Regional Office calls home.
WAG and the new pet supply store Whiskers to Tails will be conducting the clinics monthly to help curb pet overpopulation in the Deerfield Valley. A traveling veterinarian, Dr. Sara White, provides the surgeries through a program called Spay ASAP. The goal is to provide affordable sterilization services to families who can't afford the full cost at a traditional veterinary hospital.
There's nothing "traditional" about the Spay ASAP program. Dr. White and her veterinary technician Wanda travel to locations throughout Vermont and New Hampshire with their surgical equipment sealed in Tupperware containers stacked neatly in their van. Just about any location can be used as a host site—from community centers to mobile homes. We transformed the Whiskers to Tails back office into a pseudo surgical suite, using the adjoining reception area as our prep and recovery room.
"This program shows the ingenuity that is necessary to provide these vital services to all community members and their animals," said NERO Director Joanne Bourbeau, who assisted at the first clinic. "In Vermont we have a spay/neuter program for families on state assistance programs, but it's the middle class family that falls through the cracks." The HSUS is working with WAG to assist in fund-raising efforts—such as the annual summer Dog Days—to support this and other programs.
"Even though we're national in scope, I think it's important and unique that The HSUS be involved with local animal welfare issues," said Bourbeau. "I'm excited about the capacity for this new program to provide life-saving services that will prevent unwanted births."
