Supporters of a new spay-and-neuter clinic in Fresno, Calif., hope it will reduce a surplus of pets that leads to thousands of animal euthanizations each month.
HOPE Animal Foundation, which stands for Halt Overpopulation with Prevention and Education, will open a 10,000-square-foot clinic in July where at full capacity 30,000 to 35,000 cats and dogs are expected to be spayed and neutered annually.
The $1.25 million project has been paid for through donations, $300,000 of which will be spent for equipment, including autoclaves, exam tables, anesthesia machines and medical instruments.
HOPE is working with about a dozen local animal shelters and cat and dog rescue groups throughout the region. The clinic also will be open to area residents to bring pets in for low-cost altering.
The fee for cats will be $35, however the fee for dogs will vary, depending on the animals size.
Two paid veterinarians have signed up, and the clinic is seeking additional participants, said Teishi Kennedy, HOPEs executive director. The plan calls for four veterinarians each doing 25 to 35 surgeries a day, she said.
Posted: May 30, 2006, 5:00 a.m. EST