Written by The Mountaineer (http://www.themountaineer.com)

Tuesday, 15 September 2009 18:33

Haywood Animal Welfare Association, Inc (HAWA) received a $10,000 grant this week to provide spay/neuter surgery for at least 200 community cats. 

The organization’s 23-year-old low-cost pet sterilization program successfully alters more than 1,000 animals per year on average to proactively fight Haywood County’s dire pet overpopulation problem.
The program offers low-cost and no-cost spay/neuter surgeries for county pet owners.  The initiative funded by the PetSmart Charities grant focuses on community cats.  Community cats are those that are lost, stray, or with no known home. 

“We estimate that there are at least 12,000 free-roaming cats in Haywood County.  They are a significant part of our pet overpopulation crisis.  By sterilizing them, we can make a significant dent in their numbers within a year,” said Susan Kumpf, HAWA board member and community cat program volunteer.

“The additional benefit to sterilization is that the cat’s behavior improves once it’s no longer driven by mating urges and territorial fights,” Kumpf said.  In addition to sterilization, the cats are vaccinated against rabies, treated for parasites, and have their left ear “tipped” or squared off to show they’ve been fixed. 

HAWA’s goal is to reduce pet overpopulation, which will lower the number of dogs and cats euthanized every week at the Haywood County Animal Control shelter.  “Fewer cats enter the shelter than dogs,” says Connie Hewitt, HAWA’s vice president, “yet only 2 percent are redeemed by their owners.  Most of the cats surrendered are either free roaming or are their unwanted litters.  Three out of four (77 percent) of the cats and kittens entering the shelter are euthanized.” 

“We are grateful for the opportunity to really impact the overpopulation crisis through this program.  I’m confident that the results will begin to be noticed by the end of 2010,” said Penny Wallace, HAWA president. 

HAWA was founded in 1986 to improve animal welfare overall and to provide low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for Haywood County pet owners.  The organization operates in partnership with the Humane Alliance Spay/Neuter Clinic in Asheville.  
For  information about HAWA and its programs, visit www.hawapets.org or call 452-1329.