County uses coupons to encourage spaying

To reduce the number of homeless kittens, County Animal Services and six cities are offering $75 coupons to spay cats this month.

“We can’t adopt ourselves out of this huge problem,” said Dawn Danielson, director of the County Department of Animal Services. “There simply are not enough families looking to adopt a new cat or kitten. In February and March, cats as young as 4 to 5 months old go into heat, and when spring arrives so do the kittens. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors and personalities. They all have one thing in common. They are homeless.”

Danielson encourages residents to use the coupons to help pay for spaying a female cat.

The $75 coupon will be offered throughout February. After that, the coupon will be reduced to $50. Coupons are accepted by many veterinarians or the department will reimburse the cat’s owner $75 if the owner mails in the coupon with proof of spaying. The coupons are available to residents of the unincorporated areas of the county and the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach, San Diego and Santee.

In addition to the coupons, if residents visit County Animal Services at www.sddac.com, there is a list of veterinarians who will perform the surgery at a reduced cost to the client. If owners combine the coupon with one of the listed veterinarians, the entire cost of the surgery may be met.

The coupons are available, while supplies last, at the county animal shelters in Mission Valley, Bonita and Carlsbad. Eligible residents may also obtain a coupon by calling Pet Assistance at 619-544-1222 or the Spay-Neuter Action Project at 619-525-3047.