Spay

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Wilson College has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Burket-Plack Foundation of Philadelphia to help pay for supplies and materials related to spaying and neutering shelter animals. During the spring and fall semesters, Wilson College provides free spay and neuter services for some cats and dogs from the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter in Chambersburg and the Antietam Humane Society in Waynesboro, Pa. The procedures allow students majoring in veterinary medical technology to gain hands-on experience as part of a surgical course, according to a news release.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- A few dogs barked from their kennels, but they were dramatically outnumbered Sunday -- Antietam Humane Society had gone to the cats. Sixty-seven cats arrived at the humane society at 8 a.m. for the first low-cost spay and neuter clinic. By 2:30 p.m., they were resting in their crates and handed back to the people who had dropped them off. Many people took advantage of the price -- $45 for females and $35 for males -- to bring in stray cats. "She's had so many litters of little babies, so we wanted to try to stop that," said Pearl Minnich of Waynesboro when she picked up the stray she nicknamed "Mommy.

On Nov. 12, Theresa Doherty, general manager of Old Navy at Valley Mall, presented $1,000 to Promise Animal League at its spay/neuter clinic at 132 Old National Pike in Hagerstown. Star Silva, executive director of the clinic, accepted the check. Promise Animal League is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has provided 4,086 spays and neuters for dogs and cats at its clinics since it was founded in 2006. It is an all-volunteer organization that is funded solely by donations and grants.

On Friday, the U.S. Postal Service will release the country's first stamps dedicated to raising the awareness of the health, behavioral and societal benefits of spaying and neutering pets. The stamps feature Kirby the puppy and Samantha the kitten. Both pets were adopted from animal shelters and were neutered and spayed, respectively. The Humane Society of Washington County will hold an open house Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. featuring a representative from the Hagerstown Post Office.

The Humane Society of Washington County recently received a $10,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to increase its number of spay/neuter operations by 20 percent. The Humane Society's 6-year-old pet sterilization program has spayed or neutered more than 600 animals per year to fight the area's pet overpopulation problem. The program is available to county residents who currently are receiving government financial assistance. It offers free spay/neuter services and pain medication, rabies vaccinations and county dog licenses.

With spring on the way, the Humane Society of Washington County is preparing for litter season.   Supplies are already low and with the expected influx of litters of kittens and puppies, the shelter is asking the community for donations of Pedigree dry dog food and Pedigree dry puppy food, Purina cat and Purina kitten food and  Yesterday's News cat litter, or any nonclumping cat litter. “This has been a very mild winter,” said Paul Miller, executive director of the shelter.  “Because of that, I think we will see an early start to kitten season, which will greatly reduce our already low supplies.”  Anyone wishing to donate supplies is welcome to take them to the shelter at 13011 Maugansville Road in Hagerstown.

marlob@herald-mail.com People with concerns about how the local humane society does its job filled the seats in the Washington County Commissioners' meeting room Thursday night. The issues ranged from the feasibility of a pit bull ordinance in the City of Hagerstown to the administration of the spay/neuter voucher system to control the pet population in Washington County. Hagerstown City Councilwoman Penny Nigh spoke as a concerned citizen, an animal rescuer and the relative of a child attacked by a pit bull in Hagerstown 10 months ago. Nigh distributed a copy of a letter Washington County Humane Society Director Maria Procopio wrote to Hagerstown City Administrator Bruce Zimmerman Jan. 7 in which she said it would be at least April before she would be ready for a presentation to the city government on the pit bull ordinance issue.

This year's New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge raised about $8,300 for the Humane Society of Washington County, spokeswoman Katherine Cooker said Tuesday. That tops last year's total of $7,511, she said. "I'm just delighted with the amount raised and with the turnout," Cooker said. "It's just so heartwarming to see the community support us so readily, and on a day when a lot of people would rather stay home and have pancakes and sausages. " The money raised will go to support animal care expenses and programs such as the Humane Society's spay and neuter and humane education programs, she said.

marlob@herald-mail.com WASHINGTON COUNTY - Layoffs, illness and all manner of financial crises can have wide-ranging impact on individuals and families. But there also can be serious side effects for pets whose owners find themselves in a bind. That's where Star Silva comes in. As public assistance coordinator for the Humane Society of Washington County, Silva tries to meet the needs of pet owners who have fallen on hard times. "We have a pet food bank where people can come and get what they need to fill the needs of their pets," Silva said.

To the editor: This letter is long overdue. It is in regard to the Washington County Humane Society and to the individuals that are so misinformed. I am an employee of the humane society and am writing to set the record straight. Three things need to be rectified. 1. We are not a rescue, per say, and we do not have purebred animals that the majority of the public wants to adopt. In a year's time we receive 5,000 animals. Many of these animals are ill, injured, neglected, abused, in trash bags and some are half dead, and even worse than that.

The Humane Society of Washington County will break ground this summer for a $2.2 million low-cost spay and neuter clinic, Executive Director Michael Lausen said Thursday. “We take the animals to vets around the area” for spaying and neutering, Lausen said Thursday. “Now it's going to be brought in-house as a cost savings.” The 7,000-square-foot clinic is expected to be completed in March or April of 2014, Lausen said. This fall, the society will begin recruiting a veterinarian to run the clinic, he said.

Have a cat or dog that needs neutering? Contact Spay Today, a reduced-cost spay and neutering program. New vets and locations available.  For more information, call 304-728-8330 or go to www.baacs.org .

Spay Today is one of the area's reduced-cost spay and neuter program.  At the time of surgery, initial shots and tests can also be obtained at lower rates. For more information, go to www.baacs.org or call 304-728-8330.

With spring on the way, the Humane Society of Washington County is preparing for litter season.   Supplies are already low and with the expected influx of litters of kittens and puppies, the shelter is asking the community for donations of Pedigree dry dog food and Pedigree dry puppy food, Purina cat and Purina kitten food and  Yesterday's News cat litter, or any nonclumping cat litter. “This has been a very mild winter,” said Paul Miller, executive director of the shelter.  “Because of that, I think we will see an early start to kitten season, which will greatly reduce our already low supplies.”  Anyone wishing to donate supplies is welcome to take them to the shelter at 13011 Maugansville Road in Hagerstown.

Spay Today, a local, reduced-cost spay and neuter program, offers new locations in Cumberland, Md., Moorefield and Petersburg, W.Va., and Culpeper, Va. For more information, go to www.baacs.org or call 304-728-8330.

Spay Today is a local reduced-cost, nonprofit program for spaying and neutering cats and dogs. At the time of surgery, initial tests and shots can be obtained at lower rates. To find a participating vet near you, go to www.baacs.org or call 304-728-8300.

Spay Today is a reduced-cost, nonprofit program for spaying and neutering cats and dogs. At the time of surgery, initial tests and shots can be obtained at lower rates. To find a participating vet near you, go to www.baacs.org or call 304-728-8300

This year's New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge raised about $8,300 for the Humane Society of Washington County, spokeswoman Katherine Cooker said Tuesday. That tops last year's total of $7,511, she said. "I'm just delighted with the amount raised and with the turnout," Cooker said. "It's just so heartwarming to see the community support us so readily, and on a day when a lot of people would rather stay home and have pancakes and sausages. " The money raised will go to support animal care expenses and programs such as the Humane Society's spay and neuter and humane education programs, she said.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Spay Today is a local low-cost, nonprofit spay and neuter program. It works with area veterinarians and clinics to obtain lower fees to have cats and dogs spayed and neutered. Initial tests and shots can also be obtained at lower rates at the time of surgery. For information, call 304-728-8330 or go to http://www.baacs.org .