As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Members of Creston Spay Neuter Animal Program have certainly taken that to heart, making it possible for more than 400 cats and dogs in the Creston Valley to be spayed or neutered since its creation in November 2008.
It was a much-needed program, said Marian Schultz, one of its founding members.
“The lack of any kind of program added to the unwanted proliferation of cats and dogs in the valley,” she said. “Many communities, large and small, have very vibrant spay/neuter programs.”
Ottawa, for example, used to have 20,000 feral cats — an aggressive program reduced that number to 2,000 in 10 years. SNAP’s goal is to have a similar effect on the Creston Valley’s stray population.
“Fewer feral animals around means there is less impact on songbirds and small mammals,” said founding member Bruno Schultz. “It makes it a better community if we don’t have to trip over stray, sickly kittens.”
It’s a costly project, though — surgery for female cats averages $150 and can cost up to $300 for female dogs.
About 90 per cent of the animals for which SNAP has provided part or all of the surgery costs have owners, and SNAP members are happy to allow them to enjoy the mental and physical benefits that come from pet ownership.
“It isn’t cheap, and some people who want to be good pet owners can’t afford to pay the whole shot,” said Bruno.
Of course, it’s no less costly for SNAP, which has spent nearly $49,000 since 2008. Of that, $12,000 came from grants; the rest was donated through fundraisers, such a bake sales.
“The bottom line is the money,” said board member Stephanie Sweet. “We’ve been doing a dog or cat every other day for the last two years.”
And as busy as the volunteers have been, all the hard work is worth it — the animals spayed or neutered by SNAP could have become parents to more than 1,300 offspring.
“Once you have an organization such as a spay program or program in the community that looks after animals here and now, the community can address the future,” said Bruno.
In addition to donations, SNAP is also in need of volunteers. For more information, call 250-428-2811.