by Dennis Dalman
news@thenewsleaders.com
People who would like to have their pets spayed or neutered but who can’t seem to afford it now have an inexpensive option called “MNSNAP.”
Known as the Minnesota Spay and Neuter Assistance Program, MNSNAP provides high-quality, low-cost, high-volume surgical services to those who qualify. The charges are as low as $40 for cats and $60 for dogs. Vaccinations, such as rabies, cost an extra $10. Pets can also be micro-chipped for an additional $20. Similar surgical procedures and vaccinations at most veterinarians can cost as much as $200, although prices do vary from place to place.
MNSNAP is a portable service. Its large surgical/medical van makes stops at cities throughout Minnesota, including one scheduled Aug. 25 for the Tri-County Humane Society in East St. Cloud. This particular stop, the one in August, is for cat surgeries only. The cats will be picked up by owners later, on the same day as the surgeries take place.
There is a special deal in August for ferrel (wild) cats. If caretakers of such cats can manage to capture and cage them, MNSNAP will spay/neuter them and do all the extras for only $25.
MNSNAP offers it services for people whose incomes are below a certain limit or who are receiving some form of needs-based public assistance. All people have to do when they arrive at the MNSNAP van is to present proof of participation in one of the following: food stamps; Medicaid; Social Security Disability; MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; HUD Section 8 Housing, Supplemental Security Income, Major VA Disability; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (formerly AFDC) or Unemployment status. A client may also bring in his or her most recent income-tax return showing income of less than $40,000 per household.
Those who bring in roaming, outdoor community cats can have them spayed or neutered for $25, plus the extras, and the person need not fit within the income guidelines.
What is important, however, is people who are interested must register online or via the telephone as soon as possible for the Aug. 25 MNSNAP stop. There will also be stops Sept. 9 and Nov. 18.
For more information and to register, call 612-720-8236. Or go to the website to register online at www.mnsnap.org. After registration, you will find out very specific instructions about the day of surgery.