Half of them are euthanized or die in the shelters of old age, and it's just heartbreaking."įisher, at the Joplin Humane Society, said they're fortunate enough to partner with rescue organizations that help them move animals out of their shelter regularly. The ASPCA says 6.5 million animals go into shelters every year and only 3.2 million go home. and we'll get a dozen calls a day, people wanting to surrender animals. "We only take animals from the animal control officer in Carthage and Jasper County because we have nowhere to put them. "We're closed to public intakes," she said. Minshew said the much smaller Carthage Humane Society shelter has been full for more than a year and can't take in animals that people want to surrender. We have everyone call over there, and it's much more economical than going to your vet." ![]() "We refer them to Joplin Humane Society because they run the spay/neuter clinics pretty often. "We don't have anything to offer the public as far as spay/neuter ourselves," Minshew said. Renee Minshew, director of the Carthage Humane Society, said the veterinarian who normally served her animals retired at the end of 2022 and that while another local veterinarian has stepped in, that person can't be at the shelter often enough to offer spaying and neutering services to the public. Not having to deal with those hormones makes for happier, healthier pets." "Male dogs can get testicular cancer and female dogs can get mammary tumors and other severe health issues such as pyometritis, which can be potentially fatal. "It helps with long-term health issues that can affect your pet," she said. "By spaying and neutering, you help control the population."įisher said spaying or neutering has benefits for the pet as well as the owner. "Spaying and neutering is extremely important for a number of different reasons, mainly because there is an overpopulation of unhomed pets throughout the United States," Fisher said. Fisher said people can sign up for the clinic at Fisher said the Joplin Humane Society is full constantly, with 302 animals in its care at noon Thursday. ![]() ![]() Pet owners can have their pets fixed at their veterinarian at a cost of $35 to $500, depending on the size of the animal, or they can sign up for the Joplin Humane Society's spay/neuter clinic, which costs $50 for dogs and $35 for cats. The Joplin Humane Society and Carthage Humane Society are pushing awareness and encouraging pet owners to spay or neuter their pets during February, which is National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.
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