For the rest of the summer, when you adopt a pet out of the Smith County Animal Shelter, spay and neuter services will be free.
On Tuesday, the Smith County Animal Shelter, 322 E. Ferguson St., announced a partnership with the SPCA of East Texas.
For any dog adopted in July and August, the shelter will give out a voucher for a free spay or neuter surgery at the SPCA. The shelter only adopts out dogs and does not pick up cats.
Dogs are free to adopt from Smith County’s Shelter, but pet owners are required to get the animal fixed and rabies vaccinated on their own. With the partnership, all they will have to pay for is the rabies vaccination.
Animals must be at least 3 months old and three pounds to safely undergo the procedure, said Karen Parker-Kilgore, executive director of operations for the local SPCA. The organization will honor the voucher when the pup comes of age.
Procedures are performed at the SPCA’s Snippet Clinic, 3405 East Northeast Loop 323. Call the clinic at 903-592-7705 to schedule an appointment.
There are 97 dogs in the county’s shelter. About 75 percent of those are pit bull mixes, but there also are lab Chihuahua and pug mixes in the shelter, according to the county. Residents should bring a leash and a carrier to take a new pet home.
Ms. Parker-Kilgore said the partnership furthers the nonprofit’s mission of reducing the unwanted pet population in Smith County.
“The way we can reduce these strays in our community is through spay and neuters on dogs and cats,” she said. “We are making a community effort to reduce the overpopulation in the East Texas area.”
The county’s shelter is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a break for lunch from noon to 1 p.m.
