Though inches of snow still blankets Fulton, the Callaway County Humane Society (CCHS) is preparing to beat the heat.
The group's second-annual Beat the Heat spay and neuter drive has kicked off. In order to help control the pet and feral cat populations, certain veterinarian offices in Callaway County are offering a steep discount on the procedures.
Humane Society Adoption Coordinator Sandy Corbet said that last year's inaugural campaign saw more than 200 cats spayed or neutered.
"The majority were feral or stray cats," Corbet said. "We will help anybody with their own personal cats, we're not turning those away, but the program is targeted to people taking care of ferals and strays. There's a guy in town who takes care of quite a large colony, and I think he's down to one kitten who needed to be spayed, it drastically helped his colony."
Four veterinary clinics and offices in Callaway County are offering a special discounted rate of $45. CCHS picks up more than half of that, meaning anyone who calls the following clinics in February can schedule to have their cat spayed or neutered in March for $20:
•Callaway County Small Animal Clinic, 5040 County Road 306, Fulton, (573) 642-3724
•Link Veterinary Clinic, 2605 N. Bluff St., Fulton, (573) 642-5303
•Millersburg Veterinary Hospital, 4358 State Highway J, Millersburg, (573) 642-8723
There is no limit of cats per customer so long as they are willing to pay for each cat's procedure. Midwest Veterinary Clinic, at 540 N. Bluff St., is participating in the program but is already full.