Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
The newly created High Plains Humane Society, with the help of two grants totaling $8,000, has started a low-cost spay and neuter program.
The society is the brainchild of the Clovis Animal Task Force, which was created by the city in 2008 to develop strategies to deal with animal control.
Chairwoman Linda Cross said High Plains Humane Society is beginning by offering low-cost spay and neutering of pets for elderly, disabled and low income families. Long-term goals include a new animal shelter and an adoption center.
“It’s sad to look back and see how many animals the shelter kills each year,” Cross said. “We want to help just enough so that we can find them homes.”
The non-profit society matches a pet-owner’s $70 purchase for the surgery, vaccinations, microchipping and any post operation medication needed. Cross said the surgery alone can cost $200.
“A lot of people, especially now in the poor economic climate, can’t afford to do it. Hopefully with our help we can get them in there,” Cross said.
The society is running on a $3,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a $5,000 donation from the Mayor’s Ball and a $950 donation from the Clovis Animal Welfare League.
Cross said they plan to apply for more grants in the future.
Cross said providing the low-cost program also provides much needed vaccinations for diseases such as parvo virus.
“We just really want to make Clovis a better place for animals and give pet owners help and make the town pet-friendly,” Cross said.
Mayor Gayla Brumfield, who’s charity ball raised $5,000 for the society and another $5,000 for the Hartley House, said dealing with the problem of animal overpopulation has to start somewhere and making spay and neuter more available is the first step.
“We’ve been working over the past three years on this and giving them the money is a good way to focus this year on that and try to help with the problem,” Brumfield said.
Brumfield said she hopes the society and shelter work along side each other.
By the numbers
December 2010
• 127 dogs and cat strays picked up by the animal shelter
• 24 dogs and cats reclaimed
• 76 dogs and cats surrendered
• 48 dogs and cats adopted
• 95 dogs and cats euthanized
