Free Cat Spay/Neuter Day Helps Farmers in Vesper/Pittsville Area

Submitted to OnFocus

Fifty-eight farm cats in the Vesper/Pittsville area will no longer be reproducing, thanks to a free Spay/Neuter Day event for barn cats, organized by Pittsville native Carrie Lippert Gillaspie through nonprofit “The Fix Is In.”

“I’m really happy with how the event went,” said Gillaspie. “The Fix Is In team was amazing – they examined and altered 58 cats in just a few hours. If left unaltered, two cats can very quickly multiply into dozens. The impact of fixing 58 cats in this area is significant.”

The Fix is In, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide high quality, affordable spay and neuter services, traveled with their mobile spay/neuter van to Vesper on November 6 with a team of veterinarians and technicians. The clinic team travels throughout northern Wisconsin providing affordable, high quality spay/neuter services to 8+ counties.

Since July 2012, a total of over 20,000 spay/neuter surgeries have been completed. The Fix Is In works closely with not only the public, but also: humane societies, animal rescue groups, and Trap Neuter Release groups, with the vision of reducing the number of homeless pets in Wisconsin.

“We hope that the success of this event encourages more people to host clinics. I’m more than happy to share my notes and materials with anyone looking to do the same thing in their neighborhood,” said Gillaspie.

The outdoor/barn/feral cat fee is $40 and includes surgery, ear tip & cleaning, rabies vaccination, treatment for wounds and other illnesses at the discretion of the veterinarian, and a single dose of Revolution, which treats ear mites, fleas, round and hookworms. Thanks to generous sponsorship from Nelson-Jameson, Inc, there was no cost to farmers at the November 6 event.

Marshfield Area Pet Shelter assisted by providing carriers, live traps, blankets, and day-of assistance. Pittsville High School students were also on hand to assist with cat transporting, equipment sterilization, and post-surgery monitoring.

“We are so thankful to Nelson-Jameson for their financial support of this event,” said Gillaspie. “Also very happy to have MAPS – we couldn’t have done it without them! The students from Pittsville High School were also helpful and it was a great learning opportunity for them.”

To learn more information about how the event was organized or for assistance in planning an event, contact Gillaspie at [email protected]. Another clinic will be held in March.

To donate to the cause, please visit thefixisin.org (designate that the donation is for a Lippert-Gillaspie event) or mail a tax-deductible donation to 6083 Oak Road, Vesper, WI 54489. (All donations will be used for future barn cat spay/neuter days in the area.)

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