Thanks to a generous two-year grant from PetSmart Charities, Animal Welfare Association (AWA) in Voorhees, NJ, is offering free spay/neuter services to all cats in the Camden County, NJ, communities of Bellmawr, Lindenwold, Voorhees and Gloucester Township.
About 15,000 cats enter shelters in Camden County and the surrounding areas each year. Only about half of those cats make it out alive. “The grant from PetSmart Charities has enabled AWA to create a targeted spay/neuter program to reach out to those communities that have been identified as the source of some of the highest owner surrender and stray cat intake rates at Camden County shelters,” said Christie Rogero, Targeted Spay/Neuter Manager at AWA. Thanks to the grant, residents of Bellmawr, Lindenwold, Voorhees and the towns that make up Gloucester Township (Blackwood, Sicklerville, Glendora, Erial, Chews Landing, Hilltop, Blenheim and Lambs Terrace) are eligible to have their cats spayed or neutered and vaccinated for rabies at no cost. The only requirement is proof of residency in one of the target communities. Stray and feral cats from these communities are also eligible for this free program.
“The best way to save the lives of cats at our area shelters is to make sure that fewer cats enter the system to begin with,” said Maya Richmond, Executive Director of AWA. “By intensely focusing our spay/neuter efforts on locations with the most at-risk cats, we can stop the cycle of unwanted litters and homeless cats, save lives, and even save money for the county because there will be fewer cats in their shelter.” The Executive Director of Camden County Animal Shelter, Lisa Ross, said “This project has enormous benefits for our shelter. Every cat and every litter that stays out of the shelter represents lives saved and money saved to help other animals in need.”
To make an appointment for a cat (owned, stray or feral) from one of the target communities, call 856-424-2288 ext. 105 or send an e-mail to clinic@awanj.org. Visit www.awanj.org for more information on this program and on low-price spay/neuter for any dog or cat from any area.