Pet overpopulation is a serious problem in the United States. The American Humane Association states that each year, approximately 8 million stray and unwanted animals are taken in by shelters across the country, and nearly half of the animals in these shelters must be euthanized because good homes cannot be found for them. In fact, shelter euthanasia is the leading cause of death for both dogs and cats in the United States. Stray and abandoned animals continue to be a problem everywhere, including in Detroit, because the number of animal births will always exceed the number of shelter spaces and homes.
Fortunately, there is a solution. Spaying and neutering is recognized as the most cost-effective, quickest, and most humane way to bring an animal population down to manageable numbers. However, in economically struggling areas such as Detroit, many pet owners cannot afford to have their animals spayed and neutered, and others do not have the transportation to bring their pets to a veterinarian’s office or clinic. But now there is a new tool in the fight against animal overpopulation in Detroit. All about Animals has been offering high-quality, high volume, low-cost spay and neuter services to the public since 2005, and they recently launched a new mobile unit that will bring spay and neuter services into the Detroit communities that need them most.
The All about Animals mobile spay and neuter unit is a self-contained van staffed by licensed veterinarians and technicians. The van travels to various locations in the city, where owners can bring their pets and have spay and neuter surgeries done on the spot for 50-80% less than the cost of the services at a traditional veterinarian’s office. Subsidies are also available for those who cannot afford even the reduced fees.
All about Animals started in 2005 as foster-based rescue group. Since then, they have sterilized over 40,000 pets in the tri-county area. The key to keeping animal populations low in places like Detroit is to make spay and neutering services cheap and easy for people to access. All about Animals opened the mobile spay and neuter clinic with the intent to reach populations in the city that aren’t spaying and neutering because pet owners can’t afford it or don’t have adequate transportation.
The cost is $40 for cats and $80 for dogs, and help is available for those who cannot afford these fees. All about Animals recommends having pets spayed or neutered by no later than 6 months of age, and they will fix pets as young as 8 weeks old that weigh 2 or more pounds.
For more information, visit http://www.allaboutanimalsrescue.org/spayneuter.html.