AFAD announces low cost spay and neuter campaign

“The problem of street fauna that prevails in the city of Mérida is due to the irresponsibility of citizens, since many of the animals that roam the streets of the state capital, once had a home, and ended up in abandonment”, assured the president of the Franciscan Shelter of the Unprotected Animal, AC (Asociación Franciscana del Animal Desprotegido: AFAD), Lidia Saleh Angulo.

For this reason, on Saturday August 11, there will be a sterilization campaign at low cost, which will attend at least 15 animals. The surgery will cost 200 pesos per male cat and 300 pesos per female; 450 pesos per male dog and 550 pesos per female.

Saleh Angulo stated that AFAD has been carrying out spay and neuter campaigns for more than nine years, in order to raise awareness among citizens of the importance of sterilizing pets, not only for reproductive reasons, but also to provide a better quality of life to dogs and cats.

She underlined that although free and low-cost spay and neuter campaigns are carried out in our city, these are not enough if people are not educated about the responsibility of having a pet at home.

“Most of the puppies we see out on the streets all over the city come from dogs that have an owner, dogs that live part time inside a house and part time on the street. We need to get rid of the idea that street dogs belong in the street. Besides, most of these unfortunate animals come from owners that eventually abandon them in parks, schools and empty lots” Saleh Angulo said.

“Stray dogs die of parvovirus, distemper, scabies, they are run over by cars or trucks, some end up being poisoned or victims of human violence. In all cases, it’s our fault that they suffer, we are the only ones who can make this situation stop”, she concluded.

Source: SIPSE