686 ANIMALS SPAYED OR NEUTERED IN STATEWIDE CAMPAIGNS
Charleston Animal Society just completed two weeks of performing spaying or neutering surgeries for dogs and cats in animal shelters located in 11 different counties, across every single region of the state. “Charleston Animal Society doesn’t just ‘react’ to problems, we get out there and find solutions,” said Charleston Animal Society President and CEO Joe Elmore.
Under state law, a shelter animal can’t be adopted without being spayed or neutered. Because of the veterinarian shortage, scores of animals can’t be spayed or neutered because of the shortage, meaning they also can’t be adopted. No Kill South Carolina 2024, an initiative of Charleston Animal Society, has recruited veterinarians from around the country to come help with the spay-neuter push.
The latest Spay-Neuter Week took place December 6 – 11, staffed by veterinarians from Illinois, Florida, and North Carolina, along with one veterinary technician from Pennsylvania. All travel expenses and veterinary licensing are covered by Charleston Animal Society. The chart below showcases the spay-neuter week accomplishments.
| Surgeries by Receiving Shelter | |
| Shelter | Surgeries |
| Anderson County PAWS | 58 |
| Berkeley Animal Center | 103 |
| Charleston Animal Society | 27 |
| Colleton County Animal Services | 22 |
| Dorchester Paws | 86 |
| Grand Strand Humane Society | 22 |
| Humane Society of Marlboro County | 48 |
| Jasper Animal Rescue Mission | 40 |
| Pawmetto Lifeline | 41 |
| Grand Total | 447 |
The first spay-neuter week was held in November, when 239 Surgeries were completed at several other shelters including: Anderson County PAWS, Humane Society of Greenwood, Abbeville County Animal Shelter and Berkeley Animal Center. Veterinarians from North Carolina, Ohio and a veterinary technician from Colorado helped during this campaign.
Animal shelters are in crisis in South Carolina because they are overcrowded with animals. Of the 75 shelters in South Carolina, 49 have no veterinarians on staff to assist with the medical needs of the animals, which means thousands of homeless animals across our state are in need of veterinary care.
The veterinarian shortage has hit South Carolina especially hard. The Palmetto State ranks 46th out of 50 states in the number of veterinarians per thousand people in population, according to Dr. Boyd Parr, state veterinarian. Shelters as well as private clinics, emergency clinics and the USDA are feeling the impact of this statewide crisis.
Veterinarians who would like to help with this effort are urged to contact the No Kill South Carolina 2024 team by emailing Abigail Appleton at [email protected]. Veterinarians are paid for their services.
To help with this emergency spay-neuter project, please give at CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/SC-Spay-Neuter.
