Save lives through spaying and neutering

Robinson’s Rescue Low Cost Spay/Neuter is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce dog and cat overpopulation and euthanasia in Northwest Louisiana by providing affordable spay/neuter services to those who could otherwise not afford them, and who strive to educate the public on the importance of having pets spayed/neutered.

“We do what we do to make an impact on our community by decreasing the number of homeless pets on the street, the number of pets in local animal shelters and the number of animals euthanized annually,” said Dr. Andrea Master Everson, president and medical director of Robinson’s Rescue.

The No. 1 reason it’s crucial to spay/neuter pets is because of unplanned or unwanted litters that directly contribute to the local community’s pet overpopulation problem.

“Many people think that their pet will not get pregnant or will not impregnate another animal; therefore, they don’t get them fixed,” Everson said. “However, the truth is, it happens a lot more than you think.”

Robinson’s Rescue is a small organization, run by six employees and approximately 15 volunteers.

“We perform an average of 35 high-quality, low-cost surgeries per day, which truly makes a difference in the lives of animals and pet owners in our community,” Everson said.

“I love being part of an organization that directly contributes to the decrease in animal overpopulation and euthanasia in Northwest Louisiana,” Everson said. “Each day, we save lives through prevention.”

There are many reasons why people decide not to spay or neuter their pets, the most common being a lack of financial means to pay for the surgery.

Robinson’s Rescue has found a solution to the problem, one that many don’t know about. Their Subsidized Spay/Neuter Incentive Program offers free spay/neuter surgeries and rabies vaccinations to local, low-income residents.

Residents who take home $1,500 or less per month, or are married and as a couple take home $2,500 or less per month, qualify.

SSNIP is an ongoing program that Robinson’s Rescue has been offering since 2011. It began in Caddo Parish, thanks to a grant from the Caddo Commission and has provided nearly 3,000 free spay/ neuter surgeries to low-income residents of Caddo. The program has recently expanded to include Bossier, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Sabine and Webster parishes. In addition, thanks to funding from the DeSoto Parish Police Jury, Robinson’s Rescue has created a SSNIP DeSoto program specifically for low-income residents of DeSoto Parish in need of spay/neuter services.

“This expansion is an amazing step!” Everson said. “It shows that government bodies and nonprofit organizations can work together to solve a major community problem. It’s because of consistent, reliable support from organizations like the Caddo Commission and the DeSoto Parish Police Jury that we are able to offer free spay/neuter surgeries to local residents who could otherwise not afford them and truly impact our local shelter’s intake and euthanasia.”

Other common reasons for avoiding spaying/ neutering include religious ramifications or being simply unaware of how bad the overpopulation problem is in the area. Also, some pet owners hold out on the surgery because of thinking they might potentially breed their pet one day.

“While breeding may seem desirable, many people don’t know the realities of caring for litters, which can be costly and time consuming,” Everson said. “Because there’s such a huge population of homeless animals living in animal shelters, we encourage adopting instead of breeding.”

“Remember, even if your dog is safely tucked away in your back yard, other dogs may not be,” Everson said. “They jump fences and create unwanted or unplanned litters of puppies. These puppies often end up in a local animal shelters and may be euthanized. It’s our mission at Robinson’s Rescue to prevent this cycle from continuing.”

Pet owners can rest assured that the postsurgery process is relatively simple. “The healing process usually takes seven to 10 days,” Everson said. “During this recovery time it’s important that you keep a close eye on your pet and prevent them from running, jumping, playing, swimming or partaking in strenuous activity.”

For seven to 10 days following surgery, the Robinson Rescue center also suggests pets be kept indoors where they can stay clean, dry and warm. More information on pre- and postsurgery protocol can be found at the following link on their Web site: robinsonsrescue.org/what-we-do/pre-post-surgery-info/ To apply for a SSNIP voucher, the applicant must visit Robinson’s Rescue, located at 2515 Line Ave., Shreveport, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and bring printed proof of income or proof or government assistance showing monthly income (i.e., pay stubs, food stamps budget sheets, Social Security benefit summaries, etc.) and the applicant’s Louisiana I.D. Once a voucher has been written, an appointment may then be scheduled at Robinson’s Rescue.

“We are all a piece of this big puzzle, and by spaying/neutering your pet(s), talking with someone about the importance of spaying and neutering, and telling someone about Robinson’s Rescue we can all help to solve this community problem,” Everson said.

Learn More:

To learn more visit http://robinsonsrescue.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ Robinsons-Rescue-Low-Cost- SpayNeuter-110213549038366/