Kent Animal Shelter has sterilized 1,500 cats over the past two years, meeting a goal of a grant it received in 2014 from PetSmart Charities.
PetSmart Charities granted the shelter $56,560 to fund the procedures, which were done on both feral and pet cats, Kent Animal Shelter executive director Pamela Green said.
The purpose of the two-year grant was to combat the overpopulation of stray and homeless cats that seriously affects both human and animal populations in the region, Green said. The grant also included funds for rabies vaccinations and additional surgical instruments.
The charitable organization has made it possible for Kent Animal Shelter to spay and neuter thousands of animals since 2011 through numerous grants, Green said. “These campaigns are multifaceted but all focus upon the same goal: reducing the numbers of homeless, abused and abandoned animals in surrounding communities.”
These grants have also greatly assisted pet owners struggling to provide these essential medical services to their animals, the shelter said in a press release. During certain campaigns, the pet owner is able to obtain the service for the family pet for just a $20 surgical co-pay. Pet owners consistently express their gratitude to Kent Animal Shelter, Green said. “Without PetSmart Charities funding the campaigns, however, the shelter would not be able to offer these services at such a reduced rate.”
“The Kent Animal Shelter has made a significant contribution to the Riverhead community by helping to ensure the health and well-being of both the human and animal populations,” Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter said.
Walter has been an ardent advocate of keeping the shelter in Riverhead Town. The shelter’s efforts to upgrade and expand its River Road, Calverton facilities have been stalled before the N.Y. State Central Pine Barrens Commission, which must approve the plans because the shelter is in an area designated as a protection area under state law.
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