Spay & Neuter Win-Win

Oglala Pet Project (OPP) was one of the Program Partners that received a grant in the second half of 2016. In their final report, they described the impact of the grant on the 61 animals they helped:

Photo of Andrea with dogs "With 11 dog spays that were done with this grant that prevented
737,000 pups in this world."

“We successfully spayed/neutered 61 animals from our start of this grant... this included 33 dog spays, 13 dog neuters, 8 cat spays and 7 cat neuters. According to numbers provided by PETA, if one dog spay is done (providing that every pup lives in every litter within six years) there will have been 67,000 pups from just that one dog and off spring. With 11 dog spays that were done with this grant that prevented 737,000 pups in this world. Also using the same source, if one cat spay is done (providing that every kitten lives in every litter within 7 years) there will be 370,000 kittens from just that one cat and off spring. With 5 cat spays that were done with this grant, that prevented 1,850,000 kitten in this world.”

OPP offered these services not only to stray and homeless animals, but to community members who they knew had animals that had repeated litters. Counting those instances as successes in their books, OPP stated, “We had owners contact us to surrender the puppies that their dog just had. We agreed to take the puppies into our adoption program and that owner did take their dog to the vet to get it spayed. OPP was able to rehome all of the dog’s pups and the dog was able to stay with the family and will no longer be adding to the dog population of the community.”

Photo of Joshua and Dr. K Access and affordability create barriers for pet owners to secure appropriate vaccinations and surgery to help their pets live a longer, healthy life.

During a recent spring clinic in San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona, a grandma brought her grandson, Ashton. She laughingly said, “I made him come out —he likes to warm up the couch!”

The individuals who receive these services at free or reduced costs are so appreciative. Most tribal communities do not have many of the amenities that larger towns possess and the nearest veterinarian can be hours away. Access and affordability create barriers for pet owners to secure appropriate vaccinations and surgery to help their pets live a longer, healthy life.

She also brought the family’s black lab mix, Mary, and granddaughter, Emily (nicknamed Purty), to the two-day event. Mary received a prescreening in the bed of the pickup truck. Purty and Ashton tried to keep the puppies in the laundry basket. The puppies looked plump and healthy. They climbed out of the basket as quickly as they were put back in. Like many of the other animals arriving at the clinic, the puppies were full of ticks and in need of being spayed or neutered. It was clear that Grandma was overwhelmed. She knew that the team could help her make sure that this was the last litter Mary would have. She shared, “We are so blessed to have this available for free. The puppies are eating cat food —they’re out of dog food — but at least they’re eating.”

PWNA’s Reservation Animal Rescue (RAR) program supports our Program Partners in their ongoing efforts to decrease the pet population in tribal communities.

Photo of Emily (Purty), Mary, and Pups The puppies climbed out of the basket as quickly as they were put back in.

These efforts are important for many reasons, but a 2013 Banfield report of Pet Health shows that animals getting spayed or neutered have a longer lifespan. Their counterparts — male dogs/cats — that don’t receive these services are at a greater risk of getting hit by a car or being bitten by other animals.

Animal health is community health and with the help of generous RAR donors, partners are able to access different supplies for their Spay and Neuter clinics. Gloves, cleaning supplies, pet food, and treats are helpful items to cut expenses when a partner collaborates with an area veterinarian to provide onsite surgeries for dogs and cats. Grants are another way that RAR supports partners who have successfully applied for funding to help carry out these special activities in their communities. It is a win-win for both the animals and those who love them.

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