Greenhill Humane Society Celebrates World Spay Day, February 27, 2018
Greenhill Humane Society’s Surgical Team performed over 2,500 spay/neuter surgeries last year
Eugene, OR: This Tuesday marks the 24th annual World Spay Day, an international campaign that promotes the life-saving benefits of spaying/neutering pets. Greenhill Humane Society will participate in tomorrow’s World Spay Day and acknowledges it’s an important message that is practiced in their organization year-round. Greenhill has two programs which help to greatly reduce the number of unwanted animals born in Lane County.
The Trap Neuter Return (TNR) Program provides free spay/neuter surgeries for all feral and free-roaming cats in Lane County. TNR programs have shown to be the most effective, humane solution to feral cat colony management. TNR is the method of humanely trapping sterilizing, and returning free-roaming cats to live out the rest of their natural lives. The annual cost to offer free TNR services to all Lane County residents is approximately $41,000 annually, which is supported by Greenhill Humane Society and the city of Eugene.
As part of Greenhill’s mission to increase compassion and responsibility towards all animals, every pet at Greenhill Humane Society and 1st Avenue Shelter is spayed or neutered before being adopted. Over 1,345 surgeries were performed in 2017 on surrendered or abandoned animals before they were adopted into new families. The annual cost to run the Greenhill Spay/Neuter Clinic is approximately $124,000, which is supported by generous donors and community members via Greenhill.
Without these two very important services, and the continued support of the community, the number of unwanted and uncared for animals would drastically increase in Lane County.
“We highly encourage people to have their pets spayed or neutered,” says Sasha Elliott, Community Engagement Manager at Greenhill. “It can improve your pet’s health and longevity and decrease the number of animals born homeless or unwanted.”
In addition to reducing pet over-population, there are many important reasons to spay or neuter your pet, including:
- Improved behavior in spayed or neutered animals: Female cats may pace and be very vocal when in heat. Male cats and dogs may exhibit spraying, humping, aggression and the urge to roam.
- Improved health and longevity: Spaying females prior to their first heat cycle prevents uterine infections and uterine cancer, and greatly reduces their risk of breast cancer. Neutering males prevents testicular cancer and enlargement of the prostate gland.
At this time, Greenhill is not a full-service veterinary clinic and can only provide medical services to animals in their care. Learn more at www.green-hill.org
Greenhill Humane Society: Greenhill Humane Society has been caring for animals in Lane County since 1944. It is a private, non-profit organization that relies on charitable donations. Greenhill operates two shelters in Eugene, Oregon, 88530 Green Hill Road and 3970 West 1st Avenue. We envision a community in which all companion animals have loving homes and are treated with compassion and respect.
