Local shelter says decrease in strays thanks to spay and neuter program

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen Humane Society’s animal clinic has helped the city cut down on stray dogs and cats.

The clinic offers low-cost spay and neuter surgeries that have slashed the number of euthanizations.

The program has helped the organization become a “model” across the country, Pat Turman-White, the Human Society’s president, said yesterday.

“We are actually one of the few shelters in the country that are seeing our intake numbers going down,” Turman-White said.

She said the clinic charges $10 to $55 to spay or neuter cats and $20 to $95 to operate on dogs, depending on pet owners’ income.

Meanwhile, veterinarians charge as much as $350 for such surgeries, she said.

The organization uses grant money and income from its vaccination program to subsidize surgery costs.

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