NORWICH – Dr. Teresa Mandracchia, Dr. Steve Culverwell and ten volunteers from Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital, 198 Grandview Lane in the Town of Norwich, participated in an event dubbed Spay-A-Thon earlier this month, an event organizers hope to make an annual occurrence.
The Spay-A-Thon was organized by veterinary technician Amy Constable and All Animals Matter, Inc. founder Diane Troxell.
According to Troxell, feral cats were trapped with Havahart traps – live animal traps said to be a safe and humane animal control alternative, offering ease of use and safer animal handling. In this case, the feral cats were transported to Compassionate Care Veterinary Hospital (CCVH) to be spayed, neutered and vaccinated.
“We had 17 traps set at different locations but were only successful in trapping 13,” said Troxell. Those 13 cats were then returned to where they came from, according to Troxell, as they had good caregivers.
“On the whole, the ferals looked good and I made sure they got all the fluids after the surgery and a dose of Revolution for worms and parasites,” said Dr. Mandracchia. “Every female we spay keeps dozens of kittens from dying of starvation and disease.”
According to Troxell, the cat population in Chenango County – and elsewhere in the United States – has dramatically increased over the past several years.
“There are just not enough homes for them,” Troxell said. “Since a five month old kitten can begin producing kittens herself, the cycle never ends unless it is spayed.”
Pet owners on public assistance – unemployment, the Home Energy Assistance Program, Medicaid or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – can apply for a voucher to get their pet spayed or neutered at the Chenango SPCA under the Spay Neuter Outreach Opportunity for Pets (SNOOP) program.
