Nonprofit animal clinics may be closed

T.J. had her spay surgery at The North Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic. Shannon Thomas homas was fostering TJ at the time and later decided to adopt her.

The four nonprofit low-cost spay/neuter clinics in Alabama could be forced to close if a new proposed rule goes into effect.

The North Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic in Huntsville is one of the nonprofits that may have to close its doors.

The Alabama State Board of Veterinary Examiners will hold a public hearing Wednesday in Montgomery to discuss some of the new proposals.

Dr. Joy Baird, the veterinarian at the North Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic, said a particular proposal says “no non-veterinarian can supply the equipment or facility for a veterinarian’s use.”

Baird performs the surgeries at the clinic, but she doesn’t own the equipment or building. “It’s the nonprofit that got the grant,” Baird said. “I lease all of the equipment and everything from the nonprofit.”

She said she is hearing from the board the rule is aimed at the issue of standard of care. “The quality of care in my facility is excellent,” Baird said.

The average cost of a sterilization surgery at Baird’s clinic is $60, while other veterinarians charge between $100 and $400 for the procedure. “We are trying to help people who can’t afford a regular vet,” Baird said.

If quality of care is the board’s goal, quality of care should be addressed directly, Baird said. “They’re not acting in the best interest of animals,” she said.

Baird said she thinks what the board is acting out of a “concern that we’re a threat to their businesses.”

Since opening in January, Baird said the clinic in North Alabama has performed over 2,000 spay or neuter surgeries.
Baird said the four Alabama nonprofits have performed over 100,000 surgeries in total since the first clinic opened several years ago.

Melissa Baker's children Jake and Hailey Baker snuggle with Bella.

Not only are the nonprofit clinics assisting animal welfare, but Baird said additionally they save everyone money. “It costs the taxpayer an average of $200 to contain, treat and euthanize” each animal in a shelter, Baird said, citing the Humane Society of the United States.

“When I began to hear about the problems the clinic was having I was shocked and saddened,” said Melissa Baker, a resident of Madison and animal activist who had a dog spayed at the clinic in Huntsville. “This is a clinic who is truly trying to save animals from being euthanized and making this procedure affordable for pet owners. The fact of the matter is that shelters are overcrowded with animals. There just isn’t room for all of them and many healthy dogs and cats are being put down.”

Baker said she questions the motives of those who want to shut down the nonprofit animal clinics. “This clinic is serving the community, saving tax dollars from being spent on euthanization, and most importantly trying to end unnecessary deaths of dogs and cats,” she said. “Clients are satisfied with the procedures, they are saving lives and have a wonderful mission to help the community and help animals.”

Shannon Thomas, a volunteer at several local animal rescue organizations and co-founder of Advocacy for the Respect of All Earth’s Animals, said she has found the clinic in Huntsville to be clean and efficient.

“Our state and any veterinarians who truly care about animal welfare and taxpayer money should be working very hard to encourage everyone to spay and neuter their pets,” Thomas said. “We should be creating more ways to have pets sterilized instead of trying to close down low-cost clinics, thus making the process harder.”

The Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners will hold its public hearing Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. in Montgomery at 8 Commerce St., Suite 910.

The North Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic has a petition protesting the proposed rule change, which can be found online at www.nalspayneuter.org.

The clinic is located at 3303 North Memorial Parkway and can be contacted at 256-489-0418.

Currently, the clinic is selling T-shirts designed by Baker, with half the proceeds going to the clinic.