Modesto clinic that spays, neuters cats and dogs at a discount needs a new home. Here’s why
A veterinary clinic that has spayed and neutered about 20,000 cats and dogs — frequently at a deep discount for the owners — in the last five years while operating out of the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency has been given more time to find a new home.
Valley Pet Care initially posted on social media that it had to leave by Nov. 24. It has been leasing a 1,600-square-foot space on a month-to-month basis, and on Aug. 24 the agency gave its 90-day notice to end the lease.
But agency Executive Director Vaughn Maurice said Tuesday that his agency has granted Valley Pet Care’s request to stay until May 2024. “They do great work and they provide a nice service to community,” he said, adding this gives the clinic more time to find a new home. The rent will remain $2,400 a month.
The news was a mixed blessing for Michael Betts, a veterinarian and managing partner of the practice.
“I’d rather not move,” he said. “... I’m happy I don’t have to leave in three months. I’m happy I have some more time, but I’m still not happy that I have to leave. ... My hope is we can continue to do this. There is a real need in the community.”
Betts said he believes Monte Vista Small Animal Hospital in Turlock may be the only other vet practice in the county that offers a discount spay and neuter clinic. A voicemail to a hospital staff member seeking confirmation was not returned Tuesday, but a link on a Facebook post from 2019 for pet owners to sign up for the once a month clinic no longer works.
Maurice said Valley Pet Care spays and neuters the cats and dogs of community members. He said the Animal Services Agency needs the space occupied by the clinic to spay more of its shelter animals, primarily dogs. He said the expansion includes hiring a second veterinarian to cut down on the weekslong backlog of dogs that need to be spayed or neutered so they can be adopted.
Maurice said most animal shelters in California of his size have three or four vets.
The shelter is on track to take in slightly more than 4,300 animals this year, he said, with about three-quarters of them dogs. He said that is roughly 500 more animals than in 2021. As of Tuesday, the shelter had 204 dogs in 186 kennels.
Maurice said the reasons for the increase include people who adopted dogs while working at home during the pandemic and now have returned to the office. He said it’s also much more expensive to feed and care for a pet because of inflation.
“We’ve maxed out our capacity,” Maurice said.
Valley Pet Care’s charges range from $240 to spay a dog weighing 40 to 60 pounds and $185 to neuter a dog weighing 60 to 80 pounds, according to its website. But Betts said about three-quarters of the owners qualify for a discount.
He said those who qualify pay $30 to spay a dog and $20 to neuter a dog. Cats cost $15 for either. Betts said Sonoma County-based Dogwood Animal Rescue picks up the remaining costs for these pet owners.
Discount spaying and neutering
Animal Services will spay and neuter cats and dogs at a discount for residents who live within its jurisdiction, Maurice said. The agency serves Modesto, Waterford, Patterson, Ceres, Hughson and the unincorporated parts of the county. He said the county’s other cities provide their own animal services.
The agency charges $50 to spay or neuter a dog and $25 for a cat.
Animal Services relies on volunteers and rescue groups to help with its overcrowding. For instance, Maurice said, an anonymous donor gave $5,000 for a free dog adoption event 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 22-23 at the agency, 3647 Cornucopia Way, Modesto.
Maurice said the agency charges $100 to adopt a dog. This will be the sixth such event this year paid by a donor.
He said rescue groups and other shelters take in his agency’s overflow. He said 11 dogs were driven over the weekend to several shelters in Washington state by a relay team of volunteers. The first team drove the dogs to Sacramento for transfer to the second team.
There has been a significant decrease in the number of animals euthanized at the shelter in last several years, said Maurice, who estimated about a handful are euthanized now each year.
People can donate to the Animal Services Agency at www.stanislausanimalservices.com.
This story was originally published September 6, 2023 at 8:08 AM.
