The Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund raises money through donations people make through checking a box on their tax forms. The amount they choose to donate is either deducted from their state income tax refund or added to their payment.
“I think the program is proving itself to be really effective in the state of Colorado and especially in these underserved areas that need help,” said Dr. Kate Anderson, DVM and CPOF board member with the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
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Each November, the board allocates grants from the fund to help organizations that subsidize spay and neuter services and provide public education. Montrose Animal Protection Agency was awarded a $15,000 grant in 2007; Delta County Humane Society and Delta County Vet Med Association received $10,000.
MAPA provides rebates and vouchers for people who have difficulty affording to have their pets spayed and neutered.
“They really help rural areas like this because there’s such a need. There’s so many animals in rural areas compared with urban,” MAPA president Don Stoutt said.
He said MAPA helped about 559 people spay and neuter their pets last year.
“We have to raise close to $30,000 to help that many people,” he said. “This year, for the first two months of the fiscal year — mid-November to mid-January — we already had 130 people we had helped.”
He said the agency could be on pace to help between 600 and 700 people by the end of 2008. MAPA conducts fundraisers to accrue additional finances. A program with City Market “value cards” contributes a percentage of all purchases a participating member makes to the agency.
Stoutt said MAPA’s services aren’t confined to the city of Montrose, but extend as far as Norwood, Naturita and San Miguel County. The agency has about 25 to 30 members. It was founded in 1974.
“It’s been a very successful program,” he said. “Since 1974 I would think we’ve helped thousands and thousands of people.”
He said San Juan Veterinary Clinic has used several of the vouchers to help folks who have trouble paying to spay and neuter their pets.
Dr. Chris Franklin, DVM with San Juan Veterinary Clinic, said the procedure is helpful with regard to overpopulation as well as the health of the pets. He said it helps the pets live longer and avoids risks of cancers and infections that can develop in the animals’ reproductive systems.
“A nice thing about MAPA is it allows the client to have (their pet) spayed or neutered with someone they’re comfortable with,” Franklin said.
The voucher program allows pet owners to use the veterinarian of their choice.
Franklin said that by having their pets sterilized at his clinic, clients can be certain the pets will be anesthetized with gas and monitored closely.
“If something were to happen we have the ability to assist,” he said.
He said the clinic sterilizes an average of at least 10 to 12 animals per week; about 5 to 10 percent of these use the vouchers through MAPA.
In addition to the spay and neuter assistance, MAPA conducts public education a number of times each year. Saturday, a class on first aid for cats and dogs will be held in the conference room of Montrose Animal Shelter.
Contact Robert Allen via e-mail at roberta@montrosepress.com
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