Group Discusses Spay/Neuter, Solutions to Unwanted Pet Problem

By MONICA CALZOLARI
ONEONTA

About two dozen people gathered for the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 2024 Community Forum on August 15 at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center to discuss animal-related issues.

Stacie Haynes, executive director of the SQSPCA, kicked off the meeting saying the goal was to continue the conversation started at the 2023 Community Forum, which drew about 80 members of the community.

Last year’s forum inspired area residents—Gina Colone of Oneonta and Traci Dilello of Laurens—to form Friends of the Feral, run entirely by volunteers. Haynes said this group “is doing an amazing job” trapping, neutering and releasing feral cats.

FOF has grown since then. Colone and Dilello have been joined by Kirsty Roefs of Unadilla and Bobbie Martindale of Laurens, among others.

Roefs gave a brief report about the work the volunteers do and some of the challenges they face. She informed the group that “one unspayed cat can produce 60 more cats in 17 months.”

Spaying a female animal or neutering a male animal are surgical procedures that prevent pets from reproducing by removing their reproductive organs.

More education is needed about the benefits of spaying and neutering, officials said. It can help manage the pet population, reduce the number of animals in shelters and improve the quality of life for pets. Spaying and neutering can also have a positive impact on an animal’s behavior and health.
A trailer park in Laurens was cited by multiple individuals as a source of many feral cats and kittens, some of whom have herpes, distemper, and rabies. These animals require medical care in addition to spaying and neutering.

Roefs added, “I feel like there’s a huge uptick in friendly cats who have been abandoned.”

One reason people might not spay and neuter their pets is because the surgery by a private veterinarian typically costs $300.00-$400.00. Some people cannot afford this. Transportation could also be an issue, the group theorized.

By contrast, the Susquehanna SPCA charges $60.00 for this service for those who meet the low-income qualifications. They provide this spaying and neutering service on a weekly basis and also hold free rabies clinics monthly.

When FOF started their work, the Susquehanna SPCA had a waiting list of 500 cats to spay and neuter, so FOF had to find other low-cost providers. Colone and Dilello have taken 30-35 cats at one time to the Animal Care Sanctuary in Pennsylvania.

They also bring feral cats to the Love & Hope Animal Sanctuary Inc. in Franklin, which still provides spaying and neutering.

Forum attendee Hillary Cotes of Hartwick shared a personal account of how a neighbor’s pit bull got loose, attacked her, and bit her arm and leg severely before killing her dog, who was trying to protect her.

Cotes is searching for ways to prevent this from happening again. After a judge ordered that the pit bull be euthanized, the neighbor just acquired another pit bull. She reported that her neighbor is cruel to his animals.

Cotes met Alicia Lasher, Town of Hartwick dog control officer, at the forum and they exchanged information. As SQSPCA and FOF work together with the community, dog officers, and elected officials, the group hopes to alleviate animal suffering and to promote their humane treatment.

Crystal Postighone of Morris has rescued and fixed 15 cats with her own money and funds she has raised with glass buttons she makes and sells.

Postighone said, “I adopted two cats from the Susquehanna SPCA and currently care for six cats.”

She described how hungry cats show up on her property, which is adjacent to a farm.

Some cat breeds are known for being good mousers. They help keep barns clear of mice and rats. Cotes proposed that perhaps farmers could be educated about the benefits of spaying and neutering their barn cats and that these animals be returned to the farms to keep the mice population down.

Three members of the SQSPCA Board of Directors also participated in the forum: Laurie Zimniewicz, Jill Basile and Thomas Huntsman, MD.

Basile suggested that Otsego County’s elected officials be informed about these cat and dog problems. She told the audience that “SQSPCA does not receive any money from the county” for general operations.

Zimniewicz said, “An e-mail blast is a really good idea.”

She also suggested phone calls to follow up the e-mail to elected officials.

Haynes stressed the importance of fundraising to cover the costs associated with rehoming companion animals.

“The SQSPCA has a full-time veterinarian… We lose $850.00 on every adoption.”

The shelter makes sure every animal adopted out is spayed or neutered and has all its vaccinations, Haynes said.