Knoxville nonprofit works to end pet overpopulation

 

Young-Williams Animal Center’s Spay/Neuter Solutions has surpassed 60,000 surgeries, a milestone that comes less than nine years after the animal shelter launched the initiative and its mobile Spay Shuttle.

 

“This is a huge milestone for us,” says Dr. Lisa Chassy, Young-Williams Animal Center director of Spay/Neuter Solutions. “Our team works diligently to perform as many surgeries as possible and educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering.”

 

Spaying or neutering is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet population and is safe for puppies and kittens as young as eight to 10 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

“Neutering male pets is a simple surgery that reduces unwanted behaviors, like roaming, fighting and urine marking territories,” Chassy explains. “It also guarantees your dog or cat never fathers a litter of puppies or kittens. For example, an unspayed female cat, her mate and their offspring, can produce 66,088 kittens in six years. An unspayed female dog and her puppies can produce 67,000 puppies in six years.”

Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis at either the Young-Williams Spay/Neuter Solutions Clinic at 6400 Kingston Pike or on the Spay Shuttle.

The Spay Shuttle is a mobile surgical clinic that was funded through an Aslan Foundation grant to increase access to low-cost surgeries.

The shuttle visits areas considered high-risk for stray pickups and owner surrenders to the shelter, based on data from Knox County, Knoxville Animal Control and Young-Williams Animal Center.

In order to promote spay/neuter efforts, Young-Williams Animal Center offers several low cost and free options. Please call 865-215-6677 to schedule a surgery.