County urges residents to spay and neuter pets

With the regional animal shelter at capacity, the Hays County Commissioners Court proclaimed this February as Spay-Neuter Awareness Month.

The proclamation coincides with World Spay Day, launched on February 22, 1995. World Spay Day is an annual campaign recognized in nearly 70 countries worldwide that aims to control pet overpopulation by spaying and neutering companion animals and community cats. During the Feb. 1 Commissioners Court meeting, court members voted unanimously to adopt the proclamation, endorsing the spay and neuter of pets and the “trap, neuter, return” method of free-roaming community cats.

The Court previously approved a ‘No Kill’ initiative with a signed resolution in 2018.

Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said, “We participate in World Spay Day to help increase awareness of the need for spaying and neutering — to save animal lives.”

Spaying and neutering pets will help reduce the number of animals impounded at the regional animal shelter in San Marcos, which has been at critical overcrowding capacity for many weeks, Becerra said. The shelter is the only open intake facility serving all Hays County residents, and the county pays a portion of the operating costs.

Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe, Pct. 1, and Commissioner Lon Shell, Pct. 3, have also tried to raise awareness of shelter overcrowding, supporting the no-kill initiative, over the past few years.

“We encourage all Hays County residents to continue helping to minimize the number of homeless cats and dogs impounded by the shelter each year by spaying or neutering their pets, sponsoring spays or neuters and donating to local animal welfare organizations,” Ingalsbe said. “All of those things will help the shelter’s resources go much further.”

“By taking proactive steps within our community, we can aim to reduce the number of animals brought into the shelter,” Shell added. “Spaying and neutering is one of the most effective methods to reduce pet overpopulation in Hays County.”

It is estimated 88% of pets living in underserved communities are not spayed or neutered, leaving them open to reproducing.

During Tuesday’s court meeting, Sharri Boyett, Animal Advocacy Advisor and Community Liaison of Hays County, reported that San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter impounded 4,059 animals in FY 2021, 31% of which were from the unincorporated areas of Hays County.

“The Hays County Spay-Neuter Awareness proclamation is educational,” she said. “It is an important way to draw our community’s attention to the serious issue of pet overpopulation. By bringing attention to these issues, we show we care about cats and dogs at risk of being homeless, abandoned or impounded to the regional animal shelter.”

Additional benefits of spaying and neutering pets include pregnancy and pregnancy complication prevention, reduction of a pet’s urge to roam, reduction of reproductive system diseases, reduction of mammary or prostate cancer, elimination of testicular tumors and reduction of territorial behavior.

For information about low-cost spay and neuter resources, visit the Pet Prevent A Litter website, preventalitter. com/spay-and-neuter-resources.