Animal Services is now offering low cost spay/neuter and TNVR

To help reduce the number of stray and feral animals, the Pasco County Animal Services Department (PCAS) has introduced the SNIP Program, or Spay/Neuter in Pasco. As the stray population grows, animal shelters struggle to find all of them homes, and many are euthanized.

The SNIP Program consists of two components:

• Low Income Program – Partnering with participating veterinary hospitals throughout Pasco County to provide low cost spay/neuter for applicants. To qualify, applicants must reside in Pasco County and meet the income eligibility guidelines or be receiving government assistance from one of the following programs: Medicaid, food stamps, WIC, or SSI (Supplemental Security Income). The cost is $10 per cat or $20 per dog (up to 3 pets per household).
• TNVR (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return) is a proven procedure in which entire colonies of stray and feral cats are humanely trapped, vaccinated for rabies, spay/neutered by a veterinarian, ear-tipped and then returned back to their outdoor homes. Participating veterinarians in the SNIP Program include local veterinary hospitals in Pasco as well as veterinarians from PCAS and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. All cats must come from Pasco County, be healthy and dropped off in a humane trap (no carriers). The cost is $10 per cat; a refundable $75 deposit per trap rented is required until traps are returned. TNVR works by putting an end to breeding. Therefore, populations are gradually reduced and annoying behaviors such as yowling and spraying stop.

To find out more about the SNIP program including the TNVR schedule, please visit the Pasco County Animal Services Department website at www.pascocountyfl.net/pas.