The Animal Rescue League of Boston Launches Spay Waggin’ to Bring Subsidized Spay/Neuter Services to Pet Owners in Southeastern Massachusetts
Boston, MA, May 26, 2010 --(PR.com)-- The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is bringing its Spay Waggin’ to southeastern Massachusetts. The Spay Waggin’ provides subsidized spay and neuter services to pet owners in financial need and makes monthly scheduled stops throughout the South Shore and Cape Cod to perform surgeries on an appointment-only basis.
The first mobile animal spay/neuter vehicle to operate in Massachusetts, the Spay Waggin’ program was originally located in Greater Boston, and provided subsidized pet spay and neuter services to some 21,000 cats and dogs for clients in financial need. With a new and larger vehicle focused primarily on Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts, the Spay Waggin’ program has been restructured with added capacity, a preparation area, a fully equipped surgical suite and a recovery ward. The Spay Waggin’ team is led by Martha Smith, DVM, Director of Veterinary Medical Services of the ARL of Boston.
“Capacity has increased from the original 26-ft long Spay Waggin’ with a capacity of 13 animals, to 33-ft long and a capacity of 40 animals,” says Dr. Martha Smith. “We are staffed by one veterinarian and two technicians, and the new vehicle will enable surgery on larger dogs who weigh up to 60 lbs.”
The Spay Waggin’ was made possible by the Grace and Elliot Marks Endowment Fund. The bequest limited low cost pet spay/neuter services to only Cape Cod. The ARL of Boston worked with the Attorney General and the Barnstable Probate Court to expand the use of the endowment fund in order to purchase a new vehicle and provide services in Southeastern Massachusetts as well as on the Cape.
“This is a win for everyone in the community. Not only will the new Spay Waggin’ help individuals, we’ll also work with feral cat populations,” says Jay Bowen, President, Animal Rescue League of Boston. “There are a number of people in the community who care for feral cats that the ARL of Boston will be able to reach.”
Staying true to its Boston roots, the Spay Waggin’ will also spend one day per month providing services to cat owners who reside in developments of the Boston Housing Authority.
About Martha Smith, DVM, Director of Veterinary Medical Services
A graduate of Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Martha Smith, DVM, director of veterinary medical services, oversees all veterinary care at Boston Veterinary Care. Dr. Smith is a clinical instructor at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to her position at Boston Veterinary Care, Dr. Smith is committed locally via the ARL of Boston's mobile Spay Waggin’; nationally and internationally to promote humane population control through the establishment of spay and neuter facilities; and trains veterinarians in safe spay/neuter techniques. She is a vice president of the board of directors of the Association for Shelter Veterinarians; serves on the American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare Committee; and is president of MVMA Charities. Dr. Smith has also served as the chair of the Animal Welfare Committee for the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association.
About the Spay Waggin’
Spay Waggin’ services include: physical exam, spay (females) or neuter (males), rabies vaccine, distemper vaccine, flea and ear mite treatment (if necessary) and nail trim. Cats should be between 2 months and 5 years of age, and dogs should be between 2 months and 5 years of age and not weighing more than 60 pounds. The Spay Waggin’ makes monthly scheduled stops throughout the South Shore and Cape Cod to perform surgeries on an appointment-only basis.
For additional information or to make an appointment, please call the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Spay Waggin’ at 877-590-SPAY or visit www.arlboston.org/sw. The Spay Waggin’ was made possible by the Grace and Elliot Marks Endowment Fund established at the ARL of Boston in 1991.
Animal Rescue League of Boston
Founded in 1899, The Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Boston is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing domesticated animals and wildlife from suffering, cruelty, abandonment, and neglect. In addition to the organization’s animal rescue, law enforcement, shelter, and veterinary headquarters in Boston, the ARL of Boston operates shelters in Boston, Dedham, and Brewster, Massachusetts. The ARL of Boston also maintains a state-of-the-art mobile adoption and rescue vehicle (MARV), a fleet of animal ambulances and the mobile Spay Waggin’ providing subsidized spay/neuter services throughout Massachusetts’ South Shore and Cape Cod.
For more information, please contact:
Stacie Madden
617-750-1981
staciemadden@yahoo.com
###
The first mobile animal spay/neuter vehicle to operate in Massachusetts, the Spay Waggin’ program was originally located in Greater Boston, and provided subsidized pet spay and neuter services to some 21,000 cats and dogs for clients in financial need. With a new and larger vehicle focused primarily on Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts, the Spay Waggin’ program has been restructured with added capacity, a preparation area, a fully equipped surgical suite and a recovery ward. The Spay Waggin’ team is led by Martha Smith, DVM, Director of Veterinary Medical Services of the ARL of Boston.
“Capacity has increased from the original 26-ft long Spay Waggin’ with a capacity of 13 animals, to 33-ft long and a capacity of 40 animals,” says Dr. Martha Smith. “We are staffed by one veterinarian and two technicians, and the new vehicle will enable surgery on larger dogs who weigh up to 60 lbs.”
The Spay Waggin’ was made possible by the Grace and Elliot Marks Endowment Fund. The bequest limited low cost pet spay/neuter services to only Cape Cod. The ARL of Boston worked with the Attorney General and the Barnstable Probate Court to expand the use of the endowment fund in order to purchase a new vehicle and provide services in Southeastern Massachusetts as well as on the Cape.
“This is a win for everyone in the community. Not only will the new Spay Waggin’ help individuals, we’ll also work with feral cat populations,” says Jay Bowen, President, Animal Rescue League of Boston. “There are a number of people in the community who care for feral cats that the ARL of Boston will be able to reach.”
Staying true to its Boston roots, the Spay Waggin’ will also spend one day per month providing services to cat owners who reside in developments of the Boston Housing Authority.
About Martha Smith, DVM, Director of Veterinary Medical Services
A graduate of Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Martha Smith, DVM, director of veterinary medical services, oversees all veterinary care at Boston Veterinary Care. Dr. Smith is a clinical instructor at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to her position at Boston Veterinary Care, Dr. Smith is committed locally via the ARL of Boston's mobile Spay Waggin’; nationally and internationally to promote humane population control through the establishment of spay and neuter facilities; and trains veterinarians in safe spay/neuter techniques. She is a vice president of the board of directors of the Association for Shelter Veterinarians; serves on the American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare Committee; and is president of MVMA Charities. Dr. Smith has also served as the chair of the Animal Welfare Committee for the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association.
About the Spay Waggin’
Spay Waggin’ services include: physical exam, spay (females) or neuter (males), rabies vaccine, distemper vaccine, flea and ear mite treatment (if necessary) and nail trim. Cats should be between 2 months and 5 years of age, and dogs should be between 2 months and 5 years of age and not weighing more than 60 pounds. The Spay Waggin’ makes monthly scheduled stops throughout the South Shore and Cape Cod to perform surgeries on an appointment-only basis.
For additional information or to make an appointment, please call the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Spay Waggin’ at 877-590-SPAY or visit www.arlboston.org/sw. The Spay Waggin’ was made possible by the Grace and Elliot Marks Endowment Fund established at the ARL of Boston in 1991.
Animal Rescue League of Boston
Founded in 1899, The Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Boston is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing domesticated animals and wildlife from suffering, cruelty, abandonment, and neglect. In addition to the organization’s animal rescue, law enforcement, shelter, and veterinary headquarters in Boston, the ARL of Boston operates shelters in Boston, Dedham, and Brewster, Massachusetts. The ARL of Boston also maintains a state-of-the-art mobile adoption and rescue vehicle (MARV), a fleet of animal ambulances and the mobile Spay Waggin’ providing subsidized spay/neuter services throughout Massachusetts’ South Shore and Cape Cod.
For more information, please contact:
Stacie Madden
617-750-1981
staciemadden@yahoo.com
###
Contact
Animal Rescue League of Boston
Stacie Madden
617-750-1981
www.arlboston.org
Stacie Madden
617-750-1981
www.arlboston.org
Contact
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