ASPCA Celebrates the Holiday Season with a Gift of Giving

NEW YORK — The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinics today announced it is donating a free dog coat or cat bed to pet owners who utilize its spay/neuter surgeries from December 14 – 24, 2009 while supplies last. The ASPCA offers free and low-cost spay/neuter surgery in financially underserved locations across New York City's boroughs via five state-of-the-art mobile veterinary clinics.

"This year, the ASPCA has neutered over 30,000 cats and dogs, and we have the capacity to do more," says Aimee Christian, Senior Director of the ASPCA Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinics. "Providing free pet accessories is a great way to thank our clients for helping their pets and the community by decreasing the number of unwanted animals in New York City."

Spaying and neutering exponentially reduces the number of unwanted animals in the community. It also eliminates many nuisance issues such as spraying, roaming and heat behaviors.  The health benefits are tremendous: pets live longer, remain healthier, and risks of certain cancers are eliminated.

"We have a pet overpopulation problem in NYC—more than 50,000 unwanted and homeless pets a year enter our shelters. The ASPCA is working hard to put an end to the tragic euthanasia of these healthy animals by addressing the crisis at its source—in the heart of our local communities that most need our services," says Christian.

The spay/neuter surgeries are provided free to any low-income pet owners with proof of public assistance such as Medicaid, Medicare, SSI, disability, food stamps, or public housing rent receipts. To determine when the service will be in your area or for more information, please call 877-SPAY-NYC or visit www.aspca.org/877spaynyc.