Update May 21, 2010: The Senate bill, S. 515 was substituted for A 928 and then passed the New Jersey Assembly yesterday by a vote of 75-2! S. 515 previously passed the Senate by a vote of 37-2.
S. 515 would permit veterinarians and physicians to earn continuing education credits by providing certain free veterinary or medical services.
Significantly, this bill will allow a veterinarian to offset up to 10 of their required 20 or more credits for continuing veterinary education by offering free spay or neuter services to (1) individuals on certain types of state and federal assistance and (2) municipalities or nonprofit organizations operating a TNR program.
New Jersey veterinarians could earn one hour of continuing education credit from the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners for every two dogs or cats that are spayed for free, and one hour credit for every four dogs or cats that are neutered, also free of charge.
Go here for more on this bill and why this can help save lives!
I hope this bill passes. Even if it’s amended to read “Free AND Low Cost Spay Neuter” — it HAS got to become a reality.
One succesful animal shelter(?) had a great “Neuter Scooter for a Nickel” promotion. In other areas, people were PAID $5 for each pet they had spayed or neutered.
Traveling Clinics with Spotless facilites and CARING Vets and Vet Assistants have in many places made a huge POSITIVE impact on that segment of the population who cannot afford to but WANT to have their pets spayed and neutered.
Once this bill passes, the Public needs to know that this is FOR REAL, is NOT a gimmick, and that this is PROFESSIONAL. (i.e., their pets are in SAFE hands)– the public needs to have an incentive to bring their pets in, knowing that their pets will get HIGH QUALITY care — sometimes people view the word “FREE” with suspicion. They should also have the option of having their pet(s) vaccinated against Rabies and other common diseases for a SMALL fee OR for FREE. Microchipping should also be an affordable option. And handouts on pet care (ie, nutrition, how to deal with certain pet behaviors, what plants or human foods/medications are poisonous to animals, etc) should be given to the pet woners (maybe with some gift/discount coupons) when they come to pick up their pets (in carriers)
The program can also be underwritten in part by local merchants, who for a VERY SMALL fee, have the opportunity to give each participating pet owner a coupon for a significant discount on food or pet items/toys/bedding at local stores operated by these merchants.
PetsMart Charities has some GREAT Webinare on Free Spay Neuter– presented by people who have been running such programs in Texas, New York and other areas of the country. Check out their website (below) and check back with that website in the next few weeks — it is about to be Updated with the most recent (EXCEPTIONAL) Webinar on Spay Neuter)
http://www.petsmartcharitiesblog.org/webinar/recording%20links.htm
here is something interesting on this subject:
http://www.petsmartcharitiesblog.org/webinar/Slides/HQHV.PDF
Not everything is free. So WHO would be FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE for the supplies (suture, gloves, anesth, etc) used during the surgeries??? Let alone the Doctors and techs time???? Why should vets be held responsible for other peoples “property”. Is the state going to give grants to pay for everything???
In the small town in Indiana where I live there is a no kill shelter that offers low cost spay/neuters. But they are run on donations and grants. At the Animal Hospital where I work we are not given those so we charge for everything we do. And when it comes down to “High Quality Surgeries”….well I have seen the results of low cost and free surgeris and believe me they are far from high quality. “You get what you pay for” is what we tell people. Our practice requires the animals have pre anesthetic bloodwork and pain medication. We also require the pet spend the night in the hospital so that it isnt stumbling out the door just a few hours after a procedure! Would those animals receiving free surgeries receive that????
This attitude by some veterinarians working for profit is unfortunate. Animals are dismissed as "property" by veterinarians no less, as they charge owners and caregivers high fees for their services.Â
Like Anonymous here, many are not satisfied with their profits and in many cases work to stop low cost spay/neuter services in their communities. They are so worried about what they perceive as "competition" for their high dollar spay/neuters, that, like Anonymous, they are even willing to attack the quality of the vets performing these free or low cost spay/neuters.
The high euth rates don’t bother them at all as long as their profits stay high!
As an attorney, I am urged to offer free or pro bono services to the poor and I happily do so without complaining about the cost of staff and equipment necessary to give the best possible representation. Many MDs and vets do the same. So I would urge Anonymous here to think again about the public service aspect of this bill – a few hours of free spay/neuter won’t jeopardize your profits and will translate at some point into lowered intake and euth rates. You will have saved lives and really isn’t that what your profession should be about at least to some degree?   Â
The dog industry is in trouble with all the puppy millers, unethical breeders, irresponsble pet owners. How would it hurt for a vet to provide a certain number of free s/n each month
like a lottery drawing.
This is future clients for the vets. This would also spread fast and a vet couldn’t pay for such advertisement. This is everyones problem.
I work in companion animal rescue, and faithfully use the low cost spay/neuter shelters. If I paid a “real vet” to do every surgery on every rescue that comes through our organization, we would all be broke!
Most times, it is a veterinarian who is volunteering, or offering to work for a very small fee per animal, and the clinic gets the remainder to purchase supplies, etc. They still get grants, but without the grants they would be unable to operate.
I have only received fabulous surgeries and services at the low cost clinics. The dogs often barely have any sign that surgery was even completed!
On the other hand, I had to have a dog spayed on a weekend (very high costs!), due to a complication during her delivery of puppies, and the stitching to close the wound was very sloppily done. This is at one of the most expensive vets in the area!
It’s not true “you get what you pay for!” You need to do your research, and find out your opinions on your own, then find a vet that shares your point of view, and I’m more than willing to bet, that your pocketbook won’t be hurting nearly as bad as a profit-driven BUSINESS (as opposed to “hospital.”)