CRESCENT CITY, Fla. — Animal overcrowding is an issue in many communities and officials say it has reached critical levels in Putnam County.
One of the issues the county doesn't have a spay and neuter clinic. Right now, the Crescent City Kennel and the non-profit ARK Animal Rescue is working with the community to build one.
The clinic is designed to be mobile trailer, not only to reach pets in the more rural parts of the county, but to find herds of feral cats and stray dogs to decrease overcrowding in the three animal shelters within the county.
According to Florida Animal Friend, one unaltered female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in only six years. In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce an incredible 370,000 kittens.
Currently, the closest spay and neuter clinic is in St. John's County.
“The average person probably has five pets at home. You multiply the average between 150 for a cat, that's how it starts for spay and neuter up to 450 for dogs, for one spay or neuter. Who can afford that?“ explained Ginny Oakwood, ARK Animal Rescue President.
Crescent City Kennel implemented a low cost vaccine clinic in January 2023. Last year, they vaccinated 538 animals.
“As of this year, January through June 30, we have already exceeded 538. We're up to 579. Last year we adopted out 102. As of June, we're up to 92,” Oakwood added.
Spaying and neutering has potential to reduce the number of animals on the streets and entering shelters in Putnam County. The growing number of strays in the county is becoming a public safety issue.
The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reports 85% of dog bite fatalities involved dogs that were not spayed or neutered.
Leaders with ARK Animal Rescue are saying neutering dogs may lead to a decrease in dog bites.
This could be extremely effective in a like Florida, that ranks third for fatal dog bite statistics across the country, according to the World Animal Foundation.
The Florida Department of Health reports more than 200 dog and cat bites were reported in Putnam County last year and most of them were owned pets.
In addition, they are seeing an overwhelming number of feral cats. Which can harm anyone who comes in contact with these animals.
With introducing a spay and neuter clinic into the county, not only will it help with the overpopulation of strays inside and outside the shelters but make walking your own dog safer.
“For an altered male dog, the chances of that dog biting or attacking is much higher. Because what happens is they're roaming. And that causes a pack,” added Oakwood.
Cost is the reason most cited by owners for not having their animals spayed and neutered.
Currently ARK Animal Rescue has a quarter of the funding raised before hitting their goal of $100,000 to purchase the trailer for their low cost, mobile spay and neuter trailer. Click here to donate.