A local veterinary hospital is asking the community to contribute to their efforts to provide free spays and neuters to pet owners in the Dallas County area.

Valley Creek Veterinary Hospital is accepting both patients and donations for their upcoming annual Spay Day scheduled for Feb. 25 starting at 8 a.m. The spay day is conducted to help pet owners avoid getting puppies and kittens they are not able to keep.

“A lot of people that can’t afford to have their pet spayed are the ones that are having the litters, litter, and litters. It’s not people that just don’t think about it.” Valley Creek Veterinary Hospital owner and veterinarian Dr. Frances Kendrick said. “We ask out of the people that come in here in Valley Creek and some of the really animal loving folks that are around the Valley Grande area to donate money for the cost of the spay.”

Donations will allow the veterinary hospital to offer free spays and neuters for a procedure that would normally cost $85.

Donations for last year’s spay day allowed Valley Creek Veterinary Hospital to give 12 patients free spays or neuters. This year, they are hoping to give away 14 free spays or neuters.

Kendrick said if the hospital spayed 14 animals, which can each have 16 puppies and kittens, they would have theoretical saved 224 animals from being potentially homeless or euthanized.

For a tax-deductible donation, donors make their checks out to the Central Alabama Animal Shelter and take the check the Valley Creek Veterinary Hospital. Valley Creek Veterinary Hospital will give the donation to the Central Alabama Animal Shelter, who will route the money back for the spay day event.

“We just want to encourage people to have their pet saved,” Kendrick said.

Selma resident and cat owner Sara Prater said she supports Kendrick’s efforts to spay and neuter pets.

“I love getting my cats and dogs spayed and neutered for their own health benefit as well as my sanity,” Prater said.

The Alabama Veterinarian Medical Association offers reduced price spays and neuters for those who qualify for Medicaid. Those who qualify for their program will usually qualify for the free spay or neuter Feb. 25, Kendrick said.

Once Valley Creek Veterinary Hospital receives enough money to fund 14 spays and neuters, the remaining money will be transferred to their Trap-Neuter-Release program, that allows them to capture stray animals, neuter them and release.

For more information, call Valley Creek Veterinary Hospital at 872-7577.