Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 5, 1993 TAG: 9309030183
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Some 2,000 to 3,000 dogs and cats are born in the United States every hour - 70,000 each day.
More than 20 million of these animals die each year from the No. 1 killer - neglect, abandonment or abuse.
The street life of an abandoned animal is one (miserable) year.
Based on these figures from national humane groups, it is not difficult to understand how a person can quickly accumulate a large number of cats or dogs.
While there is a dog pound in Montgomery County, there is only one organization with the facilities to deal directly with the overpopulation of cats in this area - the Montgomery County Humane Society.
Unfortunately, the humane society can only house a small portion of these needy animals. The remainder usually end up abandoned, neglected or abused.
The society provides a valuable service not only by taking in homeless animals, but through providing free and low-cost spay and neuter services to needy pet owners, the only way to reduce the pet overpopulation.
The local society's program spays and neuters up to 10 animals per month. It operates on a very small budget, and the demand for services is always larger than the funds available.
Several veterinarians and the Virginia Tech vet school have gratefully donated free and low-cost services. Apart from this, the fund depends solely on money from small fund-raising events and private donations.
To decrease the unwanted and potentially neglected animals in the county, it is imperative that pet owners spay or neuter their pets, or call the Humane Society if financial assistance is needed.
The community can contribute through financial and volunteer support of the society and its spay and neuter fund.\ Julie Flynn Director, Spay/Neuter Program Humane Society of Montgomery County
by CNB