Second Chance Animal Services Performs 70,000th Spay/Neuter Surgery

NORTH BROOKFIELD — Second Chance Animal Services announced that it recently performed its 70,000th low-cost spay/neuter surgery. This milestone is a significant achievement in the organization’s mission to reduce pet overpopulation and improve the welfare of animals in the community.

Spaying and neutering pets not only helps to control the population of stray and unwanted animals, but it also has numerous health benefits for the pets themselves. These procedures can prevent certain cancers and other serious health issues and can also improve pets’ behavior by reducing aggression and roaming.

Second Chance is dedicated to making these life-saving procedures accessible to all pet owners, regardless of their financial situation. The nonprofit began its low-cost spay and neuter program in 2005 at its East Brookfield shelter to help stem pet homelessness in the surrounding community. Today, hundreds of pets come to the nonprofit’s hospitals each month for spay and neuter services in state-of-the-art surgical suites made possible by grants and generous donors. The nonprofit offers low-cost spay and neuter services at the North Brookfield, Springfield, and Worcester community veterinary hospitals.

“We are so proud of the impact that we have made through these 70,000 surgeries,” said Sheryl Blancato, CEO and founder of Second Chance. “There is more work to be done. Our goal is to continue expanding our efforts to help as many pets as possible.”

Blancato encourages all pet owners to spay and neuter their pets to help address the issue of pet overpopulation and improve their pets’ health. “Many of the emergency surgeries we see are female pets suffering from pyometra, a potentially deadly infection of the uterus. Routine spays and neuters can help protect pets from many life-threatening conditions including pyometra and testicular cancer.”

Pet owners who would like to take advantage of this program for their pet can visit www.secondchanceanimals.org and fill out a SPOT application under the ‘Vet Care’ tab.