Pet sterilization highlights litter control plan

Heather Rawlyk

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2004 | 9:06 a.m.

Those interested can call Clark County Animal Control at 455-7710. A list of the 20 community centers that are giving out vouchers can be found on the Internet (co.clark.nv.us/parks/homepage.htm).

During January, vouchers for low- or no-cost sterilization are being provided for pet owners to trade in at 22 participating veterinarian offices throughout the county.

Clark County's Animal Control had $35,000 last year to provide more than 1,000 pet sterilization vouchers to locals, the fifth year the county has held the sterilization campaign.

In 2002 Clark County Animal Control brought in 10,015 unwanted dogs and 9,508 cats, a department representative said. A total of 54,444 unwanted dogs, cats and other animals were brought in from Clark County, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City.

The sterilization vouchers are offered to anyone interested and will be limited to two per person.

Local pet owners at the dog run at Desert Breeze Park on Desert Inn Road and Durango Drive said they thought the sterilization vouchers were a great idea.

"I think it's great they're helping people out with the cost of neutering and spaying their pets," said Dan Vahlli, who has two Labrador retrievers. "A lot of people don't get their pets fixed because it costs too much. This will make it easy."

Vahlli said he wishes he knew about the vouchers when he sterilized his two dogs a few years ago.

"Yeah, it can get expensive," he said. "I think I paid at least $150 to get these guys fixed."

Pet sterilization can get costly. North Las Vegas Animal Hospital receptionist Alisha Balasquide said the clinic charges $50 for cats, $60 for male dogs and between $65 and $95 for female dogs, depending on weight.

Balasquide said her clinic experiences a high volume of vouchers being redeemed each January.

"At least for the two years I've been here, we've always had quite a few people coming in with the vouchers," she said. "We accept them because we think it's a good thing."

Tracy Grace, a receptionist at Paradise Pet Clinic, agreed.

"When the vouchers are given out, it can overfill an operating room," Grace said. "We always get a ton of people getting their pets spayed or neutered. It's overwhelming."

According to Grace, Paradise Pet Clinic normally charges $80 for female dogs, $69 for male dogs, and $60 for cats.

Kelly Behler, 23, at the Desert Breeze Park dog run with her German Shepherd mix puppy, said she would check out the vouchers.

"I didn't know they did that," she said, petting her tan pup, Matty. "He's at that age where my fiance and I were thinking he needs to get neutered. I was worried about the cost."

Local Beverly Reide, 43, said her sister had her cat spayed last year with the help of a voucher.

"My sister told me she had her cat spayed for free, and I thought it was some once-in-a-lifetime offer," she said.

"Too bad Zeke is already fixed, I could have used a voucher then," she added, holding up her Yorkshire Terrier.