East Bay SPCA Tackles Pit Bull Problem with 'Pit Fix

Owners of Pit Bulls and Pit Bull Mixes can phone 1-877-4PIT-FIX for free spay or neuter.

(PRWEB) May 3, 2004--East Bay SPCA President, Gary Templin has announced a new program, The East Bay Pit Fix," that is offering free spay and neuter surgery for pit bulls and pit bull mixes in Alameda county.

Spay and neuter programs around our county have made a significant dent in the number of homeless dogs and cats, reducing euthanasia by over 50% in seven years. However, the pit bull population has remained constant. While this population has not been tracked specifically, it is estimated that over 75% of the dogs euthanized in Alameda County shelters are pit bulls or pit bull mixes.

There will never be enough qualified homes for all the homeless dogs and cats in our community, no matter how fine a job the adoption centers and animal rescues do," says Rachel Long, East Bay SPCA Director of Operations. The only way to end the plight of homeless pets is to decrease the numbers that are being born each year. By offering free spays and neuters to the population of pit bulls, we hope that The East Bay Pit Fix will encourage owners to take responsibility for their pets even if finances are a problem."

By conservative calculations, one unspayed female dog can potentially be responsible for the birth of up to 67,000 dogs in just six years. Because of these overwhelming statistics, animal welfare organizations have long emphasized spay and neuter programs as the key solution to pet over-population. In 1998, the Oakland SPCA Spay and Neuter Surgery Center opened and has since performed over 35,000 surgeries. This month, the Tri-Valley SPCA Spay and Neuter Surgery Center in Dublin, CA opens and will be serving the East Bay SPCA, East County Animal Control, and other animal rescue organizations, as well as providing spay and neuter surgeries at an affordable price for animals owned by the public.

Pit bull and pit bull mix owners can make an appointment by calling 1-877-4-PIT-FIX or by going to www.eastbayspca.org/thefix for more information.