San Francisco SPCA to Offer Free Spay/Neuter Procedures Throughout February 2011

SF SPCA Faces Animal Overpopulation Head-on, Commemorates National "Spay/Neuter Month" with Month-long Effort to Raise Awareness of Prevention Strategies

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the San Francisco SPCA announced that it will offer free spay and neuter surgeries for cats and dogs of San Francisco residents throughout the month of February 2011. Coinciding with national "Spay/Neuter Month," this marks one of the SF SPCA's largest investments of time and resources in the animal welfare community to date. During February, pet owners can schedule appointments with the SF SPCA's Spay/Neuter Clinic and receive the procedure for free.

"Overpopulation is the number one killer of cats and dogs in America. Spaying and neutering pets is vital for reducing the number of stray and homeless animals in the city," said Jennifer Scarlett, D.V.M., co-president of the SF SPCA. "This investment by the SF SPCA is indicative of our strong belief in using preventative practices to reduce overpopulation and the resulting strains on the community's animal shelters. We hope our efforts will encourage pet guardians across the city to make the responsible choice in having their pet spayed or neutered. If you want San Francisco to be a No-Kill city, the most important thing you can do is to spay or neuter your pet."

The SF SPCA expects to accommodate more than 550 free spay/neuter procedures during the month of February, and appointments will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

The state-of-the art SF SPCA Spay/Neuter clinic is part of the Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center, which opened in 2008. The clinic is on track to perform 9,000 spay/neuter surgeries this year and has helped lower the number of cats and dogs in San Francisco shelters by more than half since 1985. Spay and neuter procedures contribute to the overall health of animals, decrease overpopulation and save both the city and its residents the costs and repercussions of unwanted litters. The SF SPCA would not be able to make this offer available to the public without the generosity of its donors and the profits generated by the SF SPCA Veterinary Hospital at the Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center.

For San Francisco residents interested in scheduling a spay or neuter appointment for their pet in February 2011 or to learn about terms and conditions of this offer, please call 415-554-3030 or visit www.sfspca.org/fix. To learn more about the SF SPCA and Spay/Neuter Month, please visit www.sfspca.org.

About San Francisco SPCA

The San Francisco SPCA is a community-supported, non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving, protecting and providing immediate care for cats and dogs who are homeless, ill or in need of an advocate. The SF SPCA also works long-term to educate the community, reduce the number of unwanted kittens and puppies through spaying and neutering, and improve the quality of life for animals and their human companions. For more information, visit www.sfspca.org.

To volunteer with the SF SPCA, sign up online at www.sfspca.org/support/volunteer or please contact SF SPCA Volunteer Services at 415.554.3087 for more information. To donate to the SF SPCA, visit www.sfspca.org/support/donate or call 415.554.3029.

SOURCE San Francisco SPCA