On June 13, A Second Chance Animal Shelter hosted a veterinary clinic at its headquarters on Alex Harvin Hwy, in Manning. The shelter arranged for PETSinc from West Columbia to bring its mobile unit and personnel to Clarendon for a day-long visit. In addition to performing spay and neuter surgeries for shelter animals as a 1st step in their adoption process, the clinic was open to the public, providing those same surgeries for their dogs and cats, as well as routine care (vaccinations, wellness check-ups, heartworm testing, microchipping and more), at very reasonable costs.
A total of 24 dogs and cats were seen for routine care, with an additional 23 receiving s/n surgeries. While estimates vary, it is generally agreed that each unspayed dog results in an additional 5-6 puppies in the county with each litter. For cats, an additional 4-8 kittens joins an already overcrowded animal population. Left unchecked, an un-spayed dog can propagate 7,776 dogs over 5 years!
Since its first meeting in 1998, A Second Chance Animal Shelter has been a staunch advocate of spay/neuter surgeries as part of responsible pet ownership: it’s just healthier for both the animal and Clarendon County! Beginning in 2012, the shelter hosted monthly clinics, hiring a vet to be on-site for shelter animals and offering low-cost surgeries to the public. The result? Keeping potentially thousands of unwanted dogs and cats from becoming homeless, and left on the streets of the county. The shortage of available vet services forced the temporary closure of the clinic. The hope now is that the PETSinc project takes hold and the shelter is again able to offer these low-cost options to the public.
Right now, the county and shelter are experiencing unprecedented numbers of abandoned, unwanted dogs and cats, resulting in overcrowded conditions at the shelter. Each unwanted litter that is prevented is a step towards a healthier environment for us all.
ASCAS will again be sponsoring the PETSinc clinic in July, on the 11th. But as happened in June, reserved spots will fill up quickly. If you have a dog or cat needing either spaying or neutering, or that is in need of affordable vet care, contact the shelter (803-473-7075) or PETSinc directly (803-608-3248 /petsinc.org).
