CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The effort to decrease pet overpopulation just got a $200,000 shot in the arm.
People Assisting Animal Control (PAAC) said this major grant from the Coastal Bend Community Foundation will benefit, spay and neuter clinics across our region.
It will also ultimately help keep the number of unwanted and stray animals out of city or county shelters.
The grant money has to be used for pets that are owned and will be up to cities and counties who are eligible to pick the neighborhood and streets that could take advantage of the free service to spay or neuter your pet.
PAAC President Cheryl Martinez said there are still many pets out there that benefit from the service.
"Animals are healthier and they live longer if they are spayed and neutered," she said.
Martinez promotes responsible pet ownership, and through PAAC, works to reduce the number of unwanted strays going into shelters.
She said most strays you see roaming out on the streets are actually owned.
"I can guarantee you if you go and talk to someone in that neighborhood they will tell you where that animal lives," she said.
Martinez said the organization's efforts are not meant to get residents in trouble, but rather to help.
"If it's because of medical care or lack of resources there are options out there, don't make that an option if it happens to your kids you keep them. Let's see what we can do to help," she said.
Veterinarians and staff with PAAC said they are doing between 700-800 surgeries every month. And through their pet retention program, they've seen success stories.
Cities from seven different counties are eligible for the funding. Martinez said last year, the city of Kingsville was among those who found success from the program.
"And the cost for doing their 383 surgeries against the grant was about $26,000 dollars just goes to show, we have more money what we put in, that is a lot of money and surgeries for the Coastal Bend," she said.
To really make an impact, she said cities need to focus on specific areas.
"Targeting is what works there is always going to be those areas that you know are going to have the bigger problems, if you target smaller areas at once, you are going to have a bigger impact," she said.
To find out if your street made the list for the free say and neuter program, click here.
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