Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX (February 10, 2020) — The Hays County Commissioners Court has proclaimed February 2020 as Spay/Neuter Awareness Month and urges all residents of Hays County “to help control the overpopulation of homeless animals in our community by spaying and neutering animals in their care.”
Spay and neuter initiatives reduce the number of homeless animals and certain life-threatening diseases and can even curb a pet’s negative behavior.
County Judge Ruben Becerra also appointed longtime area spay/neuter advocate Sharri Boyett as the first Animal Advocacy Advisor to the Judge’s Office. Boyett, who founded Prevent-A-Litter (PALS) to assist pet owners in funding spay/neuter for their pets, told the Court that she will be reaching out to communities in Hays County to determine needs and help them all develop no-kill initiatives. The Commissioners Court signed a no-kill initiative in October 2018.
“I love animals and I appointed Ms. Boyett because I think there is more we can do for our animals in Hays County,” Becerra said.
According to the proclamation, helping can also take the form of donating to a local animal welfare group or sponsoring the spay/neuter of another pet to make a big difference in an animal’s life and to help make resources go further at the local animal shelter.
Some 65 percent of U.S. households own pets, but millions of animal are left homeless, living on the streets or in shelters, where 2.4 million healthy and adoptable animals are euthanized because of lack of resources. It’s estimated that 90 percent of pets living in poverty and 98 percent of feral and stray cats are not spayed or neutered, allowing them to reproduce and add to the overpopulation problem.
The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter serves all of Hays County and has many adoptable pets available. There are a number of nonprofit, 501-c organizations in addition to the shelter that serve pets and their owners in Hays County. All welcome volunteers and fosters, as well as financial, and in-kind donations.