The Humane Animal Treatment Society of Isabella County wants to make it
worthwhile for students and other county residents to have their pets
spayed or neutered this month.

Tuesday is Spay Day 2005, part of a national campaign hosted by the
Doris Day Animal Foundation to help control the overpopulation of pets.

HATS is extending Spay Day until March 31. Anyone who has their pet
spayed or neutered during that time can get $5 of their co-pay back and
be entered to win one of four $50 cash prizes or a T-shirt from the
local group. Four $100 prizes also are available from the Doris Day
Foundation, HATS volunteer Laine Gordon said.

“As long as you have your receipt, you can sign up online to get $5
off,” Gordon said.

Pet owners can enter to win prizes at each group’s Web site,
http://www.hatsweb.org and http://www.ddaf.org.

HATS also has vouchers for spaying and neutering available at most
Isabella County veterinarian offices, said Carol Smallwood, the group’s
Spay/Neuter chairperson. The organization received a grant that helps
cover the cost of the vouchers.

“HATS vouchers cover most of the spaying/neutering fees. Pet owners
only pay a small co-payment and in cases of great financial need, the
co-pay is not required,” she said.

Gordon said spaying or neutering pets is healthier for them,
especially in preventing certain cancers.

“It extends the longevity of a pet and controls the overpopulation,”
she said.

Gordon said two cats that have not been spayed or neutered could
create 420,000 offspring in seven years.

“It doesn’t hurt the animal,” she said. “It will be less likely to
have temperament problems and to run away.”

The general effort of the campaign is to help control the
population, Gordon said.

“For every person born, 15 dogs, 45 cats are also born — there
aren’t enough homes for them,” Smallwood said.

Any Isabella County veterinarian can perform the surgery, Gordon
said. Of the animal hospitals in Mount Pleasant, only one would release
information on the price of the procedures.

At the Mount Pleasant Animal hospital, 1929 S. Isabella Road, cat
neutering costs $81 and spaying costs $108. Dog neutering ranges from
$118.50 to $138, depending on the dog’s weight. Dog spaying ranges from
$141.80 to $173, also depending on the dog’s weight.

The prices include pain medication, anesthesia and the surgery
before any discount.

E-mail the author: defaultuser