The St. Augustine Humane Society will be offering free spay and neuter surgeries for dogs starting Thursday, Sept. 1 through the recently awarded $25,000 grant from Florida Animal Friend Inc.
To qualify for the reduced fee or potentially free services, dog owners must meet specific income guidelines. The program is open to all cats, however, regardless of the pet owner’s financial circumstances.
According to Carolyn Smith, St. Augustine Humane Society’s executive director, the assistance program is designed to reduce the number of unwanted pets by controlling overpopulation, help people keep their pets in the family, and help feed and care for family pets.
“One of our key missions is to decrease the need to surrender pets to shelters and strengthen the animal-human bond," Smith said. "This grant further promotes our role in the St. Johns County area.”
In addition, the nonprofit has started its own “Spay it Forward” campaign which asks clients to contribute to a fund that pays for those who cannot afford spay and neuter services for their pets through the new grant and other programs.
Florida Animal Friend is a nonprofit organization devoted to helping fund other nonprofits’ costs of spaying and neutering homeless pets by awarding grants. The grants are funded through the sale of the Florida Animal Friend license plates and the State of Florida Department of Motor Vehicles to help prevent the overpopulation of pets and ensuring that all animals can have a safe, happy and loving home.
The St. Augustine Humane Society’s spay and neuter surgery clinic is open Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The wellness clinic is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pet owners must pre-register for spay and neuter surgery. For more information and program criteria, visit http://staughumane.org/aboutsahs/lowincomeassistance.html. Applications must be made in person at the Humane Society, located at 1665 Moultrie Road in St. Augustine.
