Kindest Cut Makes Pet Spay/Neuter Affordable

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Animal welfare experts agree that sterilizing pets can go a long way to reduce unwanted litters and decrease the number of animals that flood shelters or become homeless.

But for animal lovers who want to spay or neuter their pets, the cost of the procedure can be a barrier.

Twin Cities veterinarian Dr. Meghann Kruck and Animal Humane Society (AHS), based in Golden Valley, Minn., were convinced that a lot more people would spay/neuter their pets if they could find an affordable and convenient way to do it. So in partnership with AHS, Dr. Kruck started Kindest Cut, a mobile spay/neuter surgical unit for the pets of people in need.

And they turned out to be right. Offering high-quality pet spay/neuter at a low cost, and traveling throughout the Twin Cities metro area (and some locations elsewhere in Minnesota), Kindest Cut has performed more than 8,500 pet sterilizations since it first hit the road in May 2011.

Philip Mathon and his wife, Jackie, recently brought two of their dogs to Kindest Cut mobile clinic while in Minnesota to visit their daughter Patrice. The cost was only $50 per dog for the spay/neuter surgery (it ranges between $45 and $100 depending on the kind of pet and its size). Because the Mathons are retired and living on a fixed income, they couldn't pay the $400 often charged per animal at a typical veterinary clinic.

"These were the last two of our four Chihuahuas to get fixed," said Philip, who used Kindest Cut while the mobile clinic was operating at AHS's Coon Rapids facility. "I can't tell you how valuable this service is to people like us on a fixed income."

"Spay/neuter is an act of kindness for your animal," said Dr. Kruck. "This past year has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Several of our rescue partners have noted a significant drop in their intake of cats and kittens, for example. We started this program knowing our goal was to reduce animal homelessness, but we could not have imagined how quickly an impact would be seen."

Each day when in the field, the Kindest Cut staff performs sterilization surgeries for up to 40 cats, dogs and rabbits. The van often operates at one of AHS's five shelter facilities (besides Coon Rapids, they include Golden Valley, St. Paul, Buffalo and Woodbury), and also partners with businesses, churches, humane societies and rescue groups that can provide parking for the vehicle and a customer service area.

Because Kindest Cut's services are designed for people with limited incomes, clients are required to show need (evidence of participation in an assistance programs or proof of household size and income) when scheduling an appointment to use the service. Surgical appointments can be supplemented with routine vaccines, hernia repair or microchipping if needed.

Information about Kindest Cut's location schedule and its eligibility requirements can be found online at www.kindestcutmn.com or by calling 763-489-7729. Appointments can also be made online or by phone.

About Animal Humane Society
As the leading animal welfare organization in the Upper Midwest, Animal Humane Society is committed to engaging and serving local communities of people and animals and providing comprehensive programs and services to compassionately serve all of the stages of an animal's life. At our campuses in Buffalo, Coon Rapids, Golden Valley, St. Paul and Woodbury, our mission is to engage the hearts, hands and minds of the community to help animals.

SOURCE Animal Humane Society