Community encouraged to schedule procedures for companion animals, strays
With the goal of addressing important community concerns when it comes to the local domestic and feral cat population, Wessington Springs High School senior, Harlee Heim, is hosting a discounted cat neuter and spay clinic on Monday, January 30, 2023 at the Prairie View Vet Clinic in Wessington Springs. Procedures will be preformed by veterinarians and assistants made possible through grants Heim secured for her senior project.
“Unwanted animals are becoming a real concern in small communities like ours. Stray animals can easily become a public nuisance which is why it is so important to spay and neuter your animals,” said Heim.
Jerauld County Sheriff, Jason Weber, echos Heim’s concern.
“No doubt about it, we have a lot of stray cats in town,” said Weber, who in addition to law enforcement, provides animal control services in the county. “Her program has a lot of merit and is going to have a positive impact.”
When asked why she decided to host a spay and neuter clinic, Heim says, “I have been working at the Prairie View Vet Clinic here in town since 8th grade. Watching the many procedures being preformed and doing them myself has struck an interest to pursue a future career in small animal veterinary medicine.”
Because she was able to receive a $500 grant from the Wessington Springs Area Community Foundation (WSACF) and a very generous donation from a local business owner and community member who wishes to remain anonymous, Heim is able to offer these procedures for a very discounted rate.
Because spaying is a more invasive surgery, the clinic could only provide a limited amount of spays. “Spaying is considered a surgery where as a neuter is only a procedure, therefore I have taken the maximum amount of female cats. However, we can take as many neuters as we get.”
Heim is no stranger to the world of animals, “I have done everything from helping with and preforming procedures, working the front office, going out on calls with the vets, and even running the clinic myself on Saturdays” exclaims Heim. “I have lived on a farm my entire life. We run about 900 head of Simmental - Angus and Piedmontese cattle and I have been very active in the world of showing livestock for as long as I can remember.”
Both Heim and Weber tout the benefits of spaying and neutering, “Animals that are spayed and neutered have less desire to roam, serving two important purposes: controlling the pet population and preventing spread of disease potentially carried by stray animals,” Weber points out.
Spaying also reduces the risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian, and or uterine cancer in female companion animals.
“Neutering reduces and in many cases eliminates spraying and marking in male cats as well as decreases aggressive behavior,” Heim explained. “Both spaying and neutering helps cats to live longer, healthier lives.”
For additional questions or to schedule a spay or neuter call Harlee Heim at (605) 204-2051.