June 27, 2009

PetFix Northeast Ohio Performs 10,000th Surgery

The PetFix Northeast Ohio mobile, low-cost spay/neuter clinic performed its 10,000th surgery on Saturday, June 27th  thereby preventing the births of hundreds of  thousands of unwanted cats and dogs that would likely have ended up in shelters or living out their lives as strays.

The landmark surgery took place at Tractor Supply in Middlefield as part of Geauga Humane Society's Fix it in the Farmland program that uses the PetFix Clinic to bring spay/neuter services and rabies shots to the outlying regions of the county. Vanilla, a lovely cream Siamese owned by Sheila Tatnam of Auburn was 10,000th animal to be registered for surgery.  Her brother, Chocolate Chip was the 10,001st. Tatnum received free surgeries and $75 in gift cards for pet supplies to celebrate the occasion.

Since hitting the road in January of 2006, the PetFix Clinic has logged over 40,000 miles on 528 surgery days working with 19 humane societies, rescues, and dog wardens in 7 counties to provide low-cost surgeries to qualified low-income owners, caregivers of feral and free-roaming cats, and agencies offering cats and dogs for adoption. The surgeons generally perform between 15 and 27 surgeries a day, depending on the number of spays v. neuters and dogs v. cats on the schedule. Rock-bottom fees cover only about fifty percent of the costs of running the non-profit clinic. The rest comes from private funds.

According to PetFix Founder and Board President Timy Sullivan of Bainbridge, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has estimated that over 1 million cats and dogs will lose their homes this year as a result of the economic crisis. "If ever there was a time when low-cost surgeries are needed, especially among disadvantaged populations, this is it," Sullivan remarked. "PetFix remains committed to making it possible for low income people to be responsible pet owners and to keep moving toward a time when no cat or dog will have to die in a shelter or live as a stray simply because there are not enough homes to go around."

PetFix founder Timy Sullivan (left) and surgeon Alisa Taddeo DVM (right)
congratulate Sheila Tatnam of Auburn on bringing Vanilla, the 10,000th
animal to be altered by the PetFix mobile spay/neuter clinic.

For additional information about the 10,000th surgery, call Timy Sullivan at 440.247.8931.