FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ria Brown, Public Information Specialist, Lee County Animal Services
(239) 432-2090 Ext. 241

Lee County Animal Services and Affordable Spay-Neuter Clinic Partner to Provide Services to Low-income Pet Owners

Fort Myers, Florida, (February 1, 2004)-Lee County Animal Services and Affordable Spay-Neuter of Lee County, Inc. are joining forces to target pet overpopulation in low-income neighborhoods. From February 24th through March 31st residents of Charleston Park, Dunbar, Harlem Heights, Page Park, Palmona Park, Pine Manor, and Suncoast Estates can receive spay or neuter surgery for their pets at the Affordable Spay-Neuter Clinic courtesy of Lee County Animal Services. Lee County residents who do not live in any of these neighborhoods but are receiving public assistance are also eligible for the program.

Qualifying pet owners may call the Affordable Spay Neuter Clinic at 652-0596 to schedule the surgeries. Lee County Animal Services will also cover the cost of a rabies shot and county license for pets that are not vaccinated or licensed and a nationally registered Microchip ID.

The program kicks off on February 24th, Spay Day USA, a national campaign to promote the life saving benefits of spaying and neutering. Currently, America's shelter workers are forced to euthanize an estimated five million homeless cats and dogs each year or one every 6 and one half seconds. Locally, Lee County Animal Services must end the lives of over 9,000 unwanted pets each year. The cost to taxpayers to pick up, house, and eventually euthanize these abandoned pets can be as high as $176 per animal.

Lee County Animal Services Director, Scott Trebatoski, believes there is a more humane and less costly solution. "We are making this offer to low-income pet owners to help ease this crisis while we wait for the purchase of a mobile spay/neuter clinic." The county's mobile clinic would travel to target areas and provide a solution not currently available to these residents. Besides making the procedure affordable, the mobile clinic would overcome another major obstacle - lack of transportation. "Just like Lee County's Human Services Department works with these residents to correct social and economic problems associated with low-income neighborhoods, Animal Services must also work to provide solutions to their pet problems," adds Trebatoski. Research shows that spay/neuter programs have not been successful without targeting low socio-economic areas.

For more information regarding spaying and neutering solutions and benefits, or to view lost pets and pets for adoption, contact Lee County Animal Services at (239) 432-2083 or www.LeeLostPets.com. To schedule surgeries call Affordable Spay-Neuter of Lee County, Inc. at 652-0596.