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The fix for Galax, Virginia, residents feeling the pinch of inflation and a veterinary workforce shortage? Free spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, and microchips for cats and dogs, courtesy of PETA, in collaboration with the Twin County Humane Society! The team visited the area for a two-day spay-a-thon, during which they sterilized 229 companion animals.
Last year, our spay/neuter event in Galax was also a success, with 150 companion animals fixed, also free of charge. With every snip, we prevent countless more animals from being born into a world that can’t support them. Keep reading to see the highlights from this year’s event.
How PETA’s Fieldworkers Helped Galax’s Cats and Dogs in Need
In addition to “fixing” 229 cats and dogs in Galax, fieldworkers canvassed the area, delivered 25 doghouses to dogs who had inadequate or no shelter at all, arranged veterinary care for ailing animals, checked in on chained dogs they visited when last in the area, and found dozens of chained and penned dogs whose lives they had improved.
They also traveled back to Norfolk with several dogs and puppies, including a formerly chained sweet husky mix and her three rambunctious puppies, to give them a chance at adoption.
City Manager Mike Burnette, City Council Member Martin Warr, School Board Chair Leah Henck, and the local animal shelter director, along with local law-enforcement and animal control officials, stopped by for a tour of the clinic. The event was also covered by local media, including The Carroll News and The Galax.
Why Communities Like Galax Need Our Mobile Clinics
The rising cost of services and high demand have made it difficult or impossible for many Virginians—especially in underserved areas—to have their animal companions spayed or neutered.
Shelters in Virginia and across the country are bursting at the seams with homeless animals, while many more cats and dogs struggle to survive on the streets, where they’re vulnerable to traffic, weather extremes, attacks from other animals or cruel humans, diseases, infections, and other deadly dangers.
Kind PETA Members Make This Vital Work Possible
The life-changing work that PETA delivers to under-resourced communities is made possible with support from PETA members—like mother-son Vanguard Society members Delphine and Liam Carnes, who sponsored this Galax clinic. Working together, we can reach the animals who need us most.
YOU Can Help Us ‘Fix’ the Problem
An estimated 70 million cats and dogs are homeless in the U.S. right now. It’s humans’ responsibility to curb this ongoing crisis by having their animal companions “fixed.” This routine, affordable surgery prevents a lifetime of suffering for countless cats and dogs.
PETA’s mobile clinics have sterilized more than 227,000 animals, preventing the births of hundreds of thousands of kittens and puppies. Please help us continue this work by donating to our Mobile Clinics Division:
