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SPCA Offers to Fix Stray Animal Problem in New Port Richey

Jessica Bair/SUNCOAST

SPCA Suncoast Supervisor Isaac Nunez checks 6 month old Jessi for ear mites with an eye dropper filled with a rinsing solution. City council listened to a proposal from the nonprofit organization Tuesday night about a city-wide spay-neuter program.

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By Jessica  Bair | The Suncoast News

Published: September 8, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - Tuesday night City Council listened to a proposal from the local unit of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on how to reduce the city's stray pet population.

For the moment, council is only agreeing to discuss the proposal from the SPCA of the Suncoast, which has a price tag in the neighborhood of $16,000 a year.

In return for the money the animal welfare group, formerly known as the SPCA of West Pasco, would conduct monthly spaying and neutering clinics.

In 1998, that city and the SPCA formed a task force to respond to complaints from residents about stray pets. The task force determined the city does have an escalating problem with feral and abandoned domestic animals, primarily cats and to a lesser extent dogs.

The solution the panel has come up with is rendering as many of these animals as possible incapable of reproducing, attorney Diane Blaesing, president of the SPCA board, told council members Tuesday night.

"The only way to come close to a cure is through a spay-neuter program," Blaesing said in an interview Wednesday.

The city, according to Blaesing, has traditionally taken a "positive" approach to its cat and dog overpopulation problem, one that stresses compassion and love for the animals.

Under the SPCA proposal, the nonprofit group would spay or neuter animals at its shelter on Congress Street at a reduced costs. The offer applies equally for strays and animals with homes.

These low-cost spay-neuter clinics would be held once a month.

Initially, the program would be limited to cats. It would later be expanded to include dogs.

The SPCA, which serves as a pickup service, shelter and adoption agency for stray animals, would allow the city to use its state-of-the-art surgical suite, equipment and utility costs, and state veterinary license at no cost, says Blaesing.

The city would pay for veterinarian wages and materials actually used during surgery such as sutures, masks, gloves, and scalpels.

It would cost the city approximately $1,362 a month, or around $16,355 a year, for the monthly spay-neuter days, which would be on Saturdays.

"We have the facility right here in the city," said Blaesing. "You couldn't ask for anything better."

The $16,355 would be in addition to the $3,000 a month New Port Richey pays the SPCA to take in stray cats and dogs from within the city.

The SPCA will hold a registration day for the spay-neuter services. The city would have the final say on who is eligible.

The spay or neuter fee would be $25 per animal.

The SPCA estimates it would be able to handle 25 animals at each of the monthly clinics.

At that rate, "A huge section (of strays) can be brought under control with the program," Blaesing said.

The SPCA shelter is a "no-kill" facility. This means animals that are not adopted within a certain amount of time are not put to sleep.

The SPCA Suncoast, 7734 Congress St., has spent about $650,000 to renovate and upgrade its facilities since 2000.

Those improvements include turning its former thrift shop into a feline housing unit, dubbed the Kitty Kabana, and adding the veterinary clinic. In addition, trailers were replaced with concrete-block buildings.

Most of the SPCA's operating revenue comes from donations and the proceeds of fundraising events.

At the Tuesday night meeting, city council agreed to schedule a workshop to further discuss the proposal for a later date.

For more information on the SPCA Suncoast, to donate or adopt a pet, contact 727-849-1048 or visit the SPCA Web site.

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