Great Turnout for Spay & Neuter Sign Ups

More than fifty Tehachapi pet owners turned out Saturday, November 1 to sign up for Have a Heart Humane Society's ninth low-cost spay and neuter clinic. Cat owners paid a $20 co-pay, dog owners paid $25. Each co-pay includes spay/neuter, Rabies vaccination and a microchip. Have a Heart is partnering with Tehachapi Valley Parks and Recreation for the use of the West Park Activity Center for the day of the clinic. Dr. Willis of San Joaquin Vet Hospital in Bakersfield will be performing the surgeries. Dr. Willis is a new Tehachapi resident, living in Cummings Valley.

In addition to signing up for the clinic, Have a Heart passed out Kern County spay/neuter vouchers that pet owners can use at Southern Kern Vet Hospital in Rosamond. The vouchers, which are like coupons, are $40 for cats and $70 for dogs. Pet owners pay a small difference between the voucher amount and the vet's charge.

Have a Heart Humane Society is committed to helping Tehachapi achieve a "No-Kill" status, which means that no companion pets from our area will be euthanized to control the pet population. We take in all the pets that we can off the streets of Tehachapi. We are limited by the number of foster homes and are always searching for fosters to save pets. Each pet is spayed or neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped. Some of the pets we rescue need various forms of rehabilitation, either from injuries or from lack of socialization.

This clinic was funded by a private donation, not tax-payer money. Have a Heart is funded strictly by grants and donations. To continue our efforts here in Tehachapi, we need the community's financial support. Please drop off checks or cash at the Tehachapi Radio Shack, and leave your name and number so we can personally thank you. No amount is too small. Every dollar helps a homeless pet.

We also ask residents to use their Have a Heart SHARES cards at SaveMart (they donate approximately 3%); buy See's and Dewar's candy at the Tehachapi Radio Shack (50% of the profit is donated to us); donate your old vehicles and boats to us; bring your cell phones and old/broken electronic devices to Radio Shack for us to recycle; and you can donate your household goods for our May 22 & 23 yard sale. Small items can be dropped off at Radio Shack during their regular business hours.