Iowa Humane Alliance launching spay/neuter shuttle service

CEDAR RAPIDS - In the past six years, cats displaced by the Floods of 2008 have multiplied in neighborhoods most affected by the floodwaters.

It's estimated that there are at least 20,000 feral cats roaming the city of Cedar Rapids.

Some are captured and taken to area animal shelters, but there is only so much space.

Kathleen Schoon, development director at the Iowa Humane Alliance, said the population is growing because they are constantly reproducing.

'They hardly ever go out of heat,” she said.

One way to reduce overpopulation is by spaying and neutering.

The cost, though, can be prohibitive.

'A lot of people opt out of doing the surgery because they can't afford it or have more than one animal and just can't come up with the funds,” Schoon said. 'So that means there's more animals going into all of these shelters and rescues across the state.”

That's why the Iowa Humane Alliance will launch a transportation service to its Regional Spay/Neuter Clinic at 6540 Sixth St. SW in Cedar Rapids.

The clinic opened two years ago and offers low-cost spay/neuter surgeries for as low as $35 for feral cat surgeries and up to $80 for female dog spays - far cheaper compared with the hundreds it can cost at a traditional vet.

The clinic is able to keep their costs low because they only offer spay and neuter procedures.

In two years, the clinic's veterinarians have performed more than 10,000 surgeries.

They have the capacity and the need to do more, though, says Stacy Dykema, director of clinical operations at the Iowa Humane Alliance.

'If we only do 12 surgeries in a day, we're losing money,” Dykema says. 'But if we're doing 50 surgeries in a day, that warrants having two (veterinarians), five assistants and a transport driver.”

The transport program will reach communities within a 100-mile radius of the clinic, providing them with an affordable option.

The alliance will pick up between 25 and 45 animals - depending on demand and space in the van - from humane societies, shelters and rescue organizations and deliver them to the clinic.

By bringing animals to the clinic, it will be able to nearly double the number of surgeries performed each year, with a goal of reaching 8,000 in one year, compared with 5,000 in each of the past two years.

'Ten thousand seems like a lot of surgeries (in two years) ... but when you think about how many animals are out there that need to be spayed and neutered …” Dykema said.

'It's a drop in the bucket,” finished Schoon.

The hope is that the transport program will reduce shelter numbers and consequently euthanasia rates across the state will go down.

'(Shelter employees) work extremely hard and care so much … but sometimes they have to make really tough choices because there's not enough room,” Schoon said.

According to the national humane society, about 2.7 million healthy dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States each year. That's one every 11 seconds.

'Euthanizing doesn't work,” Schoon said. 'We've been doing it for 30 years and it's not working.”

'(Spaying and neutering) is really the only proven way to control the population,” Dykema said.

Taxpayers will save as well if fewer animals end up in state-funded shelters.

'It's going to save the communities a lot of money because they won't have to put as much toward housing those animals,” Schoon said.

The Iowa Human Alliance, though, is non-profit and funded primarily through private donations and revenue generated from its services. It has been offering transportation on a trial basis and plans to start regular shuttles on Dec. 22.

Schoon estimates it will cost $30,000 to cover the cost of the van and other expenses.

'We're committed to the program one way or another,” she said. 'But it will be limited if we can't raise those funds.”

Thus far, they've raised a few thousand dollars through mail campaigns and from businesses. They're hoping word will spread through advertisements on the van as well.

'Ultimately these programs will become self sustaining ... but we will always need fundraising because we continuously get requests for even lower costs and assistance.” Schoon said. 'We can do quite a lot to help people out, but the hardest part is when funding might not be available.”

To donate, contact the alliance at (319) 363-1225 or online at IowaHumaneAlliance.org