PAHS offers assistance to low-income pet owners

Low-income households wanting to get their pet spayed or neutered can take advantage of special pricing through the Pratt Area Humane Society.

The spay and neuter program is made available through a PetSmart Charities grant that helps the shelter provide spaying and neutering at a much reduced rate, said PAHS Shelter Manager Mike Hamilton who became manager about three months ago.

“It’s a excellent program,” Hamilton said. “It’s been very successful.”

The original grant was for $10,000. Over $6,000 has been used but the rest needs to be used by September. All the grant money has to be used by September for PAHS to be eligible for another grant so the shelter is encouraging people to take advantage of the low prices.

PetSmart will pay 80 percent of the spay/neuter fee. The reduced fees are: cat neuter (male) $7, cat spay (female) $9, dog neuter (male) $11 and dog spay (female) $17.

To be eligible for the reduced fees, all the income in the household is considered. To find out if a household is eligible, proof of everyone earning an income that goes to the household must be brought to the shelter. Proof of income can be a U.S. tax return, a W2, a WIC voucher or pay slip for verification.

These items must be brought to the PAHS shelter and approved before the pet owner can sign a contract and receive a voucher that they take to a participating veterinarian.

The veterinarian brings the voucher back to PAHS and is reimbursed, Hamilton said.

The program has been very successful and has helped reduce the number of wild and abandon dogs and cats. For more information about the program contact PAHS at 672-6777.

The spay/neuter program is just one way the shelter is working in the community to make life better for Pratt dogs and cats. Once a month they go to Orscheln Farm and Home to provide a flea and tick dip and to show dogs for adoption. This program has been successful with several animals adopted.

“We adopt two or three animals every time,” Hamilton said.

Besides working to get animals adopted, the shelter has recently completed structural work that is making the shelter much more livable for employees and animals. For some reason the intake and outtake units on the heating and air conditioning were never connected so it was hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

That problem has been corrected and now the offices and kennels are much more comfortable places to work. Since the shelter is a non-profit organization, a Board of Directors member, Donna Wygle, picked up the tab for the necessary work.

Thanks in part to that effort, the shelter passed the Kansas Department of Health and Environment inspection in April.

Although he is relatively new, Hamilton, who went from volunteer to employee to manager in about a month, is working hard to make sure the shelter meets state statutes and that every thing is done by the book, Hamilton said.

He has quickly learned what must be done and is working with KDHE to make sure things are in order.

“It’s a big responsibility to take care of the animals,” Hamilton said.

Volunteers are always needed at the shelter to walk the dogs, play with the dogs and cats, clean cages, answer phones, and verify adoptions and volunteer applications.

Adoption rates are: $60 for dogs with a $100 deposit for spaying or neutering that is returned after the procedure; $25 for cats with a $50 spaying and neutering fee.

Adoptions include current vaccinations, microchip if desired, bag of Science Diet food, one free grooming at the Groom Room plus a collar and leash.

Adoption hours are: Monday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday to Friday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed Sunday.