Spay and neuter your pets. Period. End of story.
Overpopulation of companion animals is the single most profound driver of abandoned, stray, and euthanized pets. Many pets, born in the streets or the woods, grow up to become nuisances to farmers, small towns, and citizens. They call animal control, and these feral dogs and cats have zero chance of adoption. In Bertie County, this means euthanization more often than not.
But a good spay and neuter program starts with companion animal owners taking accountability for their pets.
You might tell yourself that you are careful, you keep your pets indoors, and if you venture outside they are always on a leash. But when pets get the biological drive to find a mate, they become escape artists. The lucky ones come back home, proud papas or mamas a few weeks later. But the unlucky ones get lost, struck by a vehicle, or picked up as a stray.
Many pet owners know that they must spay and neuter. But perhaps they are on a very low income. The NC Spay and Neuter Program (NC SPAN) issues vouchers for eligible low-income residents so that they can choose this treatment for their pets.
Spay and Neuter Advocacy
Part of our advocacy relates to NC SPAN. After discovering the program existed, our founding committee member Beth Northcott mentioned it to the Bertie Board of Commissioners.
They asked her committee to research the program, discover how it works, who funds it, and how to determine eligibility. Our team diligently made phone calls to the agencies in Raleigh who oversee the funding and gathered details.
One of our advocates intends to make a full report to the Bertie Commissioners and urge them to enter into this necessary spay and neuter program to make life better for low-income families and their pets.