On Sept. 30, Spay Neuter Assistance for Pets, Inc (SNAP) successfully completed the first year of a two-year, $200,000 Maddie's Fund Targeted Spay Neuter grant for Monroe and Loudon counties. The Maddie's Fund grant will pay for 3,636 spay/neuter surgeries of pet dogs and cats for low income residents during the two-year period.

In addition to these surgeries, SNAP must obtain an additional $42,000 from other sources to pay for 762 spay/neuter baseline surgeries. The combination will result in about 4,400 pet surgeries costing $242,000 during the period. This program is designed to reduce the animal overpopulation problem in Monroe and Loudon counties and cause a significant reduction in the animal intake and euthanasia rates at the two county animal shelters.

During the first year of the Maddie's Fund grant, SNAP and the Loudon County Humane Society (LCHS) issued free vouchers to complete about 2,230 spay/neuter surgeries at a cost of about $120,000. Maddie's Fund paid for about 1,840 surgeries and SNAP funding paid for about 390 surgeries. 

SNAP has been providing free spay/neuter vouchers for six years. During this time, SNAP has raised about $315,000 and sterilized about 5,100 pets. This includes pet owner donations that have totaled about $19,000 and paid for about 360 surgeries.

SNAP and LCHS distribute free spay/neuter vouchers in public sessions to low income residents of Monroe and Loudon counties. To obtain a voucher, a pet owner must meet one of six income criteria: Individual income less than $20,000/year; Family income less than $30,000/year, handicapped, disabled, food stamp recipient or Medicaid recipient.

The next scheduled voucher issue sessions in Monroe County are:

n10 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Madisonville Democratic Headquarters, 204 North Tellico Street

n10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Vonore Community Center, 611 Church Street

n10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 9, at the Sweetwater City Hall, 203 Monroe Street

Voucher recipients need to provide a picture ID or other document to show they are Monroe or Loudon County residents. A donation will be requested, but is not required to receive a voucher. 

There are four participating vets in Monroe County and five in Loudon County.  Monroe County  vets are Monroe County Animal Hospital, Sweetwater Veterinary Hospital, Tellico Bay Animal Hospital and PPAW (People Promoting Animal Welfare).  The participating Loudon County vets are Animal Medical Clinic of Lenoir City, Lenoir City Animal Clinic, Loudon County Animal Hospital, PPAW and Veterinary Centre of Greenback. 

For questions about spay/neuter voucher issue sessions, please contact Loudon County Humane Society at 865-988-7387 or 865-671-8654; or Monroe County, call SNAP at 423-884-6801

Maddie's Fund,® The Pet Rescue Foundation, (www.maddiesfund.org) is a family foundation funded by Workday and PeopleSoft Founder Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl. Maddie's Fund is helping to create a no-kill nation where all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats are guaranteed a loving home. 

To achieve this goal, Maddie's Fund is investing its resources in building community collaborations where animal welfare organizations come together to develop successful models of lifesaving; in veterinary colleges to help shelter medicine become part of the veterinary curriculum; in private practice veterinarians to encourage greater participation in the animal welfare cause; and in the implementation of national strategies to collect and report shelter statistics. Maddie's Fund is named after the family's beloved Miniature Schnauzer who passed away in 1997.