Spay Day: More than just 24 hours

To help clients who can't afford spay and neuter services, some veterinary hospitals are offering discounted prices-just in time to celebrate Spay Day, Feb. 24. For instance, Charles River Alleycats in Somerville, Mass., will hold a low-cost spay and neuter clinic in February to kick off the celebration.

Some practices have even decided to provide these types of clinics throughout the year. To help raise spay and neuter awareness and to lead a cooperative effort to end pet overpopulation, No More Homeless Pets KC in Kansas City, Kan., will hold 14 low-income clinics in 2009. Practices in South Carolina's Anderson County have partnered with the Anderson Humane Society to design an affordable program that grants people of limited means certificates for spay and neuter services. Veterinary professionals in Jacksonville, Fla., did something similar with their SpayJax program.

So join their effort and promote spay and neuter services on Spay Day-but make it more than a day. Partner with your community to continually assist those most in need. After all, the National Humane Education Society lists cost of pet maintenance as the fourth most common reason owners relinquish there pets.

For more information on model programs for low-income clients, visit No More Homeless Pets KC or Spay USA.