Graphic courtesy of Fix Long Beach.
[Disclaimer: Author is a volunteer with Fix Long Beach]
In an effort to help mitigate the number of unwanted pets and to help Long Beach residents comply with the Mandatory Spay/Neuter Law, Third District Councilwoman Suzie Price and Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw are partnering to sponsor a Fix Long Beach spay-and-neuter clinic on April 14. The clinic will take place from 7:30AM to 4:00PM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1140 Ximeno Avenue, Long Beach. The church is on the border of both districts.
“I am always happy to partner with Councilman Supernaw and to provide important services to residents,” Price said. “Ensuring our four-legged friends are well cared for and safe is a responsibility all of us pet owners must take on, and helping pet owners by supporting this event can really help.”
Price along with Second District Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal and Fifth District Councilwoman Stacy Mungo cosponsored the Mandatory Spay/Neuter Law, which was passed in October 2015. The law requires all cats to be altered; dogs that have been bred by and registered with a national or international breed registry, legitimately trained as service or herding dogs, or any unaltered dog with a valid and current intact license prior to October 1, 2015, are exempt. Any animal determined medically to be incapable of breeding or medically unsuited to undergo the surgical procedure is exempt.
Fix Long Beach is a grassroots organization that provides free spay/neuter procedures to residents of Long Beach who cannot afford the veterinary charges. They also issue City of Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) vouchers to help cover the cost of those procedures if residents choose to schedule the surgery at other local veterinary clinics. The organization has spayed and neutered over 6,000 pets since its founding in 2013, and the shelter at Long Beach Animal Care Services credits the organization for the continuous drop in euthanasia rates and impounds.
Veterinarians in mobile clinics provide spay and neuter procedures for Fix Long Beach’s clients’ pets. Photo courtesy of Fix Long Beach.
“The free and low cost services provided by Fix Long Beach will ensure that our pets are safe and healthy,” Supernaw said. “I encourage the residents to take advantage of this great opportunity.”
Anyone wanting to schedule an appointment for their pet for spay/neuter should email Fix Long Beach at [email protected] or [email protected]. In addition to spay-and neuter procedures for Long Beach resident pets, there will be a number of other low cost services that include free microchips and low-cost flea medication, vaccinations, deworming and nail trimming. No appointments are necessary for these services.
“I’m overwhelmed at the support and generosity of our council members,” said Diana Kliché, Fix Long Beach’s board president. “As a small grassroots organization, we’re always in search of funding, and it means a great deal to us that they have pledged their support in the past and continue to do so in funding this clinic. It’s mandatory to fix your pets in Long Beach, and we see a great many people at each of our clinics who are unable financially to do that. This aid goes a long way in helping us to attain our goal of making sure every eligible dog and cat in Long Beach is fixed.”