“In honor of World Spay Day, we are having a Spay-ghetti Dinner Fundraiser at Buckey’s Inn Between, located in Hampton Bays,” shared Kate McEntee of Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF). Taking place on Tuesday, February 23rd, all proceeds from the spaghetti dinner fundraiser will support SASF’s Low Cost Spay and Neuter Mobile Clinic. The evening will include drinks, dinner, a 50-50 raffle, Chinese Auction, and more. “World Spay Day, a campaign started by the Humane Society, aims to bring awareness to the importance of spaying and neutering and its benefits,” explained McEntee. “Together we can help the feral cat population, keep them healthy and help control their population.”
The goal of the Mobile Clinic is to help lower the number of homeless pets in New York, and spaying and neutering pets is essential in preventing unwanted litters. “Everyone needs to spay and neuter their pets; it’s the only way to really help stop the overpopulation of pets,” noted McEntee. “It is the best way to stop unwanted litters, and it is also beneficial to your pet’s health.”
SASF brings the Mobile Clinic to underserved areas, where they offer a full range of services including low-cost spays and neuters, low-cost vaccinations, blood work, micro-chipping and even toe nail trims. “The mobile clinic is a veterinary spay and neuter surgical clinic that operates out of a state-of-the-art surgical room on wheels,” she added. “Our mobile clinic is equipped with everything you would find in a veterinary operating room.”
In an effort to do their part on World Spay Day 2016, Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation is hosting a free feral spay/neuter day at the shelter on Saturday, February 27th. Throughout the day, cats will be spayed or neutered, and also receive vital vaccines like rabies to help protect the local feral felines against disease and lower their population. “Our entire medical department, dedicated volunteers and veterinarians, Dr. Teresa Meekins and Dr. Nicole Mirante, have offered to donate their time to help this cause,” McEntee said. “With our team and two veterinarians, we are hoping to do 80 cats in one day.” Trap Neuter Release programs (TNR) are one of the most efficient and most humane ways to control the number of feral cats. “We want to thank the community and our cat volunteers who are a huge part of this operation,” she shared. “In order for us to spay and neuter, feral cat volunteers have to catch the cats in humane traps, transport them to us and take care of them while they recover.”
SASF’s Spay-ghetti Dinner Fundraiser at Buckey’s Inn Between (139 West Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays) will take place on Tuesday, February 23rd from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $40.
Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation is located at 102 Old Riverhead Road West in Hampton Bays. For more information, call 631-728-7387 or visit www.southamptonanimalshelter.com.