It is amazing how fast a year can go by! It seems like we just had one, but it is already time again for another fundraiser to help support spay and neuter here in Natchez.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday we will have our sixth annual Spay-ghetti and No Balls Lunch at the Natchez Community Center on Franklin Street. Plates are $10 and will include spaghetti with Al Strickland’s marinara, French bread, dessert and a Coke beverage. All proceeds benefit the Mississippi Spay and Neuter Natchez Fund voucher program.

The Mississippi Spay and Neuter Natchez Fund voucher program to date has raised over $20,000 and helped over 1,100 pets be spayed or neutered right here in our very own community!

Had each of those pets had or contributed to at least one litter (many would have had more), that would have been thousands of animals having to find a home, ending up as a stray and potentially ending up in our shelter.

The vouchers provide a low cost co-pay for those in need of help to have their pets fixed and are accepted by Riverside Veterinary Care Center, Bluff City Veterinary Hospital and Natchez Veterinary Clinic. The vouchers include surgery cost only, with any additional costs being at the discretion of each vet office. Specific vet offices do include pain medication in their co-pay for your pet.

I have been involved with helping to promote spay and neuter here in Natchez since 2008. Spaying and neutering is the only solution to help the huge pet overpopulation problem. The Natchez Fund was established in 2011. Our annual Spay-ghetti fundraiser has been our main source of funds for the voucher program. We do have two local residents who love animals and wanted to help, so they both set up a monthly bank draft to be sent to our fund at Mississippi Spay and Neuter. We did also recently apply for the car tag grant to help further the number of animals we can help in Natchez. If we are approved, we will receive $1,500 the first year and potentially $3,000 the second year. This grant is made possible by those who purchase the car tag that has a cat and dog on it.

I purchased one a few years ago and wondered if the money really goes anywhere. The answer is yes. They help support spay and neuter in Mississippi. The more tags sold, the more grant money will be available.

The Natchez community now has a beautiful new animal shelter. I am still in disbelief at times that it has really been built. I am beyond thankful that all of the homeless animals who end up there are now in a clean, safe environment.

But let’s all work together and help reduce the number of animals coming into our shelter by having your pets spayed or neutered and encouraging your family, friends and neighbors to the do same.

You can also help by supporting our Spay-ghetti fundraiser! Treat your boss, co-workers, friends and family to a wonderful lunch and help a worthy cause, too.

I do want to thank our sponsors for their help with Spay-ghetti. Their donations greatly help us to make this fundraiser a success. Our sponsors this year include Smith Printing, Sysco, Natchez Market, Slick Rick’s Cafe, Pearl Street Pasta, Lil’ Dago’s Cafe, Coke, Blankenstein’s and Dunleith.

We hope to see you Tuesday for the sixth annual Spay-ghetti and No Balls Lunch! Please call 601-597-2117 for tickets. If you are unable to attend but would like to help support spay and neuter in Natchez, donations can be mailed to Mississippi Spay and Neuter, 100 Business Center Parkway, Suite. B, Pearl, MS 39208. Please write “Natchez Fund” in the memo section. Your donations will continue to help animals in our community. Thank you so much for your support.

 

Ginna Holyoak is a Natchez resident and a Mississippi Spay and Neuter volunteer.