In a line stretched across the empty parking lot, more than thirty people waited patiently for their turn to speak with the staff at the mobile vet clinic. The air was filled with the soft sounds of meows and excited barks, underscored by a quiet sense of caution.

“Can I say goodbye?” asked one pet owner, reaching in for a final, tender scratch behind the ear. This was their first time parting with their beloved companion, and they were clearly nervous. This pet owner remembered their own first tearful visit. “It’s hard to hand them over to someone you don’t know, but this is important.”

Those 9 puppies were just a small number of the animals that APS of Durham sees every year in our shelter, and each one that we house, care for and adopt requires a lot of resources. We do our best to care for all the animals in community, and one of the best things we can do for our is help limit the number of unwanted animals through spaying and neutering efforts. In addition to helping reduce the burden on our shelter, spaying and neutering can reduce the risk of certain cancers, curb roaming and aggressive behavior, and extend the lives of our pets.

Access to affordable spay and neuter services is more important than ever, especially for those in low-income and underserved areas of Durham County. Our community members love their pets like family, and without access to low-cost services, they struggle with unplanned litters. Since 2017, APS has relied on a combination of grants and donations to help us provide these low-cost appointments to Durham residents.

The Margaret T. Petie Spaying and Neutering Foundation has been our primary partner for this important program, and our other partner is YOU. We need your help to bridge the gap and support these critical services, allowing us to reach families who need access to these services so that we can reduce the number of animals without homes.

Please give what you can to help us fund this critical program.

DONATE TODAY!