‘Neuter scooter’ program launched

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly

By Brandy Nance (Contact)

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Emporia has a new way to control the pet population — by sending pets to get spayed or neutered via the “neuter scooter.”

Buck Fund Executive Director MiChielle Cooper said the previous “Big Fix” program had to be suspended to get bids on a new program.

They are re-launching the “Big Fix” program with a twist this time. Pets that qualify have owners who meet the income guidelines of making $38,000 and below for a multiple dependent family.

Pets will be taken on the neuter scooter to Merriam, to be checked in at the No More Homeless Pets KC Veterinary Clinic. Transportation is at no additional cost to the applicants, Cooper said.

No More Homeless Pets KC is a low-cost veterinary clinic designed to give options to those who can’t afford to pay full price to have their animals spayed or neutered.

The clinic is a part of the Humane Alliance National Spay-Neuter Response Team. Cooper said the Buck Fund will start out with one transport to the clinic per month and may add more as needed. The first transport will on May 19 and several slots are open, Cooper said.

Every animal will return with a small tattoo on its underbelly near the incision site. The tattoo will identify that the animal has been spayed or neutered. This prevents unnecessary surgery to see if the animal has been fixed if it gets lost, Cooper said.

This effort will help control the pet population in Emporia, which is home to roughly more than 23,000 dogs and 25,000 cats, Cooper said. For some families, having their pets spayed our neutered causes a financial hardship.

Applications for the Big Fix are available in English and Spanish and are open to families who have an income of $38,000 or less. For more information on the Big Fix, contact the Buck Fund at 343-3377 or buckfund@cableone.net.

The Buck Fund also will be giving their animals more face time by visiting the Emporia Farmers Market and the Buck Fund Dog Park the last Saturday of each month, Cooper said.