To see the original article: https://www.waff.com/2024/08/07/limestone-co-nonprofit-open-affordable-spay-neuter-clinic/
ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) – A local nonprofit is doing its part to help with overcrowding in animal shelters.
Partnership for Animals in Athens/Limestone (PAALS) recently announced that they have plans to open the very first low-cost spay and neuter clinic in Limestone County.
Co-directors of PAALS Anna Leigh Hurst and Priscilla Blenkinsopp also run an animal boarding service and animal rescue service. They said they know firsthand about the ongoing problems of animal overpopulation and overcrowding in animal shelters.
“I was at an animal shelter for 13 years so I saw a lot of animals, we took in 3-4,000 every year,” said Blenkinsopp. “I saw a lot of need for it, people would turn them in because they couldn’t afford it so we want the spay and neuter clinic to make it more affordable for people to keep their pets.
“That’s our goal, to lessen the population.”
Hurst said they are constantly getting messages from people who are looking to surrender a litter of puppies or kittens.
She said the issue is the rising cost of spay and neutering at your traditional vet.
Many pet owners simply can’t afford the procedure.
Now that they’ve announced the clinic, they are hoping to get word of their plan out to the community.
“We are going to open up the first low-cost spay/neuter clinic in this county,” Hurst said. “We currently don’t have one and we would like to help out individuals who can’t afford to spay or neuter their pet with their regular vet due to the high expense and that will also cut down on the overpopulation and crowding of shelters and neglected animals.
“Hopefully it will reduce those numbers.”
Hurst and Blenkinsopp said the outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming, but they still need help to get the clinic up and running.
For more information or to donate, you can visit ‘Partnership for Animals in Athens/Limestone’ on Facebook.
They hope to open the clinic at the beginning of next year.
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