By Christine McCarthy
WACO- McLennan County Commissioner Ben Perry teamed up with the Animal Birth Control Clinic to organize Free Pets Spay Neuter Day for county employees.
Sixty six pets owned by McLennan County workers were spayed and neutered on Thursday, as a humane and financially responsible way to curb pet overpopulation, according to animal liaison Perry.
"It became apparent through the budget process this year that we do have a problem with stray animals in the city and unwanted pets being born and turned out to the general population," said Perry, who brought into the clinic pets belonging to his brother, an employee at the McLennan County Sheriff's Office.
Carrie Kuehl, director of the clinic, estimated 660 animal births will be prevented from spaying and neutering that group of dogs and cats.
"It is really important for the community. It's very proactive, it's humane and it makes financial sense," said Kuehl, adding that the surgeries take anywhere from two to 25 minutes, depending on the sex, size and type of animal. Preparation and recovery take longer.
The clinic typically performs 35 to 40 of the surgeries each day, but Thursday's extra patients added to that number.
Shelters that take in stray cats and dogs are often over capacity and under-funded, leaving a hefty burden on taxpayers. Sometimes shelters and humane societies have to put down healthy, adoptable animals because of the lack of money and space.
"You're looking at an average cost of an animal that's left at the animal shelter to taxpayers of 65 to 75 dollars per animal," Perry said, "so as you can see, in the long-run, this is financially responsible."
Perry hopes other agencies, cities and companies get on board and join the project.
"We've gotta prevent animals from being born and being overpopulated," Perry said, "and this is where it starts. This is the key to bringing down the stray animal population."
The clinic is spaying and neutering the rest of that group of animals on January 21.
