ALAMOSA — An opportunity is coming for pet owners and those caring for feral cats to do something they have probably wanted to do for a long time but lacked the resources, and it’s happening because committed, caring professionals want to do all they can for the SLV community.
For three days in March – Friday, 3/20, Saturday, 3/21 and Sunday, 3/22 – Greater Good Charities is sponsoring a FREE SPAY/NEUTER clinic in Alamosa for San Luis Valley dogs and cats. Free vaccines and microchips will also be available to animals who have the surgery.
The clinic will be held at the Humane Colorado’s San Luis Valley Center, 7201 Airport Road in Alamosa. Greater Good Charities utilizes surgical teams that are trained to provide high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter services with veterinarians and veterinary technicians from all over Colorado volunteering their time for this project and providing services absolutely free of charge.
They aim to spay/neuter 400 animals in three days.
The spay/neuter clinic is first come, first served, and the animal check-in process will run from 7:30 AM-11:00 AM. However, cars begin to line up well before this time, so staff with Greater Good Charities will start getting paperwork to people in line as early as 5:30am and then start intaking the animals at 7:30am or until spots are filled. Surgery will be performed in the order in which the animals are checked in.
You will stay in your car with your animal(s) for check-in. Traffic control volunteers will line up cars in order of arrival, and you will be directed to drive through the intake line by volunteers. This check-in process can take several hours in the morning, so bring snacks and be prepared to wait.
After dropping off your pet(s), you may leave the premises, as surgery and recovery take several hours. All owners will receive a call from an out of state number on the same day when their pet is ready for pickup. All pets must be picked up the same day.
Pets must be at least two months old and weigh two pounds. For pets 6 months of age or older, please do not feed them after midnight the night before (so just no breakfast). Water is fine! All pets will also receive a health exam to ensure they are fit for surgery. Please bring any veterinary records for your pets.
There is no pet limit per vehicle but all cats must be in a carrier with only one cat per carrier.
Spaying and neutering are essential for the health and well-being of dogs and cats, and the procedures not only prevent unwanted litters but also offer significant health benefits. For example, studies show that spayed and neutered animals live longer and there is reduced risk of cancer.
Also, by reducing the number of unwanted pets, spaying and neutering helps saves the lives of vulnerable cats and dogs, reduces the strain on shelters and rescues and is critical in controlling the homeless pet crisis.
And now, for those three days in March, all those things can be accomplished absolutely free of charge. Questions or in need of more information, call (719) 212-6500.
NOTE: This service is for San Luis Valley animals only. No New Mexico residents please.
