Did you know, unless they are "fixed".....
One female dog and her offspring can potentially produce over
67,000 puppies in 6 years!
One female cat and her offspring can potentially produce over
420,000 kittens in 7 years!!
spay/neuter assistance program
DART's foremost commitment is to reduce the excessive overpopulation of dogs, cats, puppies & kittens. Our focus is particularly targeted on helping those pet owners who are of limited means, disabled or elderly. People who cannot otherwise afford this simple, yet life saving procedure regularly find themselves with escalating numbers of animals and no means to responsibly care for them. We offer financial assistance and a viable solution to end the breeding cycle. If you, or someone you know, needs help to spay & neuter pets, please contact Becky at jbs@tvn.net.
For the NW Georgia – Chattanooga area there are 2 low-cost clinics that exclusively perform spay/neuter procedures. Specially trained veterinary surgeons utilize pediatric surgical techniques and can safely spay & neuter young puppies and kittens. For more info, visit their website links below.
Dixie Day Spay
Cleveland, TN
423-476-7122
Wally's Friends
Red Bank, TN
423-877-9966
Does this Happen To You?
You hear an unfamiliar cry at the door only to find a young stray cat pleading for food and shelter. Later you notice a car slowing down by your drive, hear a door slam and then speed off. Surely they didn't mean to throw this sweet dog out! Then you notice the neighbors in the rental house haven't been around lately. You discover they have vacated and left their pets behind. All of a sudden you're faced with trying to help these many animals, and all just happen to be pregnant!
Sadly, this happens all too frequently and it is not uncommon to find good Samaritans trying to manage foundlings and their 15 to 20 new puppies and/or kittens! In Dade County there is no shelter they can be taken to so the options are very limited.
DART can help but, only if someone is willing to care for them! We can assist with minimal basic vaccinations, worming, spay/neuter and facilitate adoption opportunity. We have no facility to take in animals and there are no short-term, immediate solutions we can offer. DART will not adopt out any animal that is not healthy, spayed or neutered and current on vaccinations. If you are prepared to commit to this process, we will support your efforts.
There is no local or federal funding to support this program and we rely entirely on private donations, corporate grants and local fundraising projects. Please support our efforts!
Spay & Neuter saves thousands of lives...learn more
Why Spay and Neuter your pets?
- Both female and male dogs and cats will live longer, healthier lives.
- Females spayed before their first heat cycle, which usually occurs around 6 months of age, have a 96% less risk of developing breast cancer. Breast cancer is 4 times more common in dogs than in humans!
- Neutered males have no risk of testicular cancer, and greatly reduced risks of developing prostate cancer or other prostate issues, which are very common in older, un-neutered males.
- Complications associated with pregnancy and the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases can be fatal.
- Pets will be better behaved.
- Pets will be less likely to spray or mark their territories.
- Pets will become more attentive to their human companions and actually become more protective.
- Males will be less likely to roam or get in fights. Intact males can smell a female in heat up to 3 miles away and will do anything to pursue them, regardless of the consequences. Most common problems include pets getting into fights and/or being hit by a car, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Keeping your pet inside, in a fenced yard or tied up does not prevent unwanted pregnancies. Despite an owner's best intentions to protect a female, males will find a way to reach a female in heat. "Accidents" happen all the time!
- Having your pets spayed and neutered will NOT change their personalities or cause them to become overweight.
- Pets don't have sexual egos like humans! The males feel no less "like a man" nor the females feel "un-fulfilled by not having just one litter."
- The will not become "fat and lazy" based on having the surgical procedure. They will continue to develop their inherent traits and skills.
- Spaying and neutering is highly cost-effective.
- The cost of your pets spay surgery is a lot less than the expense caring for a litter, including paying for vet visits, shots, medications, food, let along the time and effort to keep all healthy and adoptable.
- The likelihood of selling or even giving away puppies or kittens is time consuming and finding homes for all is not guaranteed.
- Do your part to help reduce the tremendous pet over-population.
- An unaltered female cat can produce 3 litters a year, with an average of 6 kittens each time. A fertile dog can have 2 litters a year, adding as many as 10 puppies each time. Puppies and kittens can begin reproducing as young 5 months old. This translates into an additional 67,000 puppies in 6 years and 420,000 kittens in 7 years being added to the population!
- Every year millions of unwanted cats and dogs, all ages and breeds end up in shelters, and most are needlessly euthanized. Please help break this on-going cycle!
