The month of May is the time for the Humane Society of Pike County’s annual spay and neuter clinic, which is held as an encouragement to all pet owners to have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered. By so doing, the pet owners are helping to reduce the stray animal population in the county.

The Humane Society of Pike County funds the spay and neuter program with donations and contributions to the society and pays $40 of each procedure done during the month-long program.

“We desperately need to cut down on the population of stray animals in Pike County,” said Susan Jinright, humane society treasurer. “The best way to do that is to have pets spayed or neutered. By reducing the number of strays, we then have a better chance of finding homes for the strays that already exist.”

All veterinarians in Pike County participate in the clinic. The only requirement to participate in the spay and neuter clinic is to be a resident of Pike County, with the exception to Troy University students who may participate by showing their student ID.

Jinright said there has been a good response to the clinic from the university students.”

To participate pet owners should call their veterinarian to make an appointment and say that they are participating in the spay and neuter program offered by the Humane Society of Pike County.

“The veterinarians will take $40 off the cost of the procedure and the pet owner will be responsible for the balance of the bill,” Jinright said.

“The spay and neuter clinic runs through May or until the money runs out. If we have the money, we like to run the clinic twice a year. We were able to do that last year and, hopefully, this year.”

In 2009, the Humane Society of Pike County provided financial assistance for the spaying a neutering of 305 animals.

“This clinic is a service that our humane society provides for the residents of Pike County,” Jinright said. “By reducing the number of stray dogs and cats, everyone benefits.”

The spay and neuter clinic is one of four programs offered by the Humane Society of Pike County. The society offers a feral cat program that funds the spaying or neutering of wild cats. Once the procedure is done, the cat is returned to its colony but it will not reproduce thus helping to curb the growing problem of feral cats in the county.

The local humane society also partners with the 4-H program to offer an in-school program on the treatment and care of pets and sponsors the Families in Need program that provides temporary assistance to families and their pets in urgent needs situations.