The new spay/neuter clinic in the City of Homestead that officially opened on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 is a prime example of the success of collaborative efforts working towards a common goal, to help save the life of shelter pets. The spay/neuter clinic began when Miami-Dade County Animal Services (Animal Services) received a large “gently used” trailer donated from Miami-Dade County Seaport Department.
“One of the challenges to expanding our low-cost spay/neuter services throughout the community is finding places from which to offer these services,” said Alex Muñoz, Director of Animal Services. “We knew we could retrofit the trailer to serve as a clinic, the next step was to find a location where there was a great need for pet sterilization services and where we could set up with the trailer.”
That’s where the City of Homestead stepped in to offer the location at 1034 NE 8th St Homestead, FL 33030 (Harris Field Park entrance.) Animal Services set the trailer up at the Homestead location and retrofitted it with the necessary surgical and medical equipment and gear. A little paint, some new recovery kennels, some chairs, cute pet photos for the waiting pet parents, a couple of dedicated veterinarians and the new Miami-Dade County Animal Services and City of Homestead Community Spay/Neuter Clinic (Homestead Community Spay/Neuter Clinic) was ready for operation! All that was needed was the furry patients, some of which the local rescue organization—This is the Dog—had ready and waiting.
The Homestead Community Spay/Neuter Clinic and its furry patients were so ready, in fact, that they were already coming in for appointments as Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, City of Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter, District 8 Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, ASPCA® Community Initiatives Director Joan Carlson-Radabaugh, and President of This is the Dog Rescue, Joan St. Aubin presented and spoke during the inauguration ceremony.
It was duly noted that the new Homestead Community Spay/Neuter clinic is the first county/municipality collaboration of its kind in South Florida. Spay/neuter is one of the many life-saving services and programs implemented and offered by Animal Services that has contributed to its achievement of a 90 percent save rate in 2015. The clinic is the second offsite spay-neuter clinic funded by Miami-Dade County and the Homestead location is another milestone in the County’s efforts to save the lives of shelter pets. In 2015, the County provided funding for the Miami-Dade Community Spay/Neuter Clinic located at 10700 SW 211 Street, Cutler Bay 33189.
“Reducing the number of unwanted and abandoned pets in our community is a major component in reducing shelter intake,” said Alex Muñoz Director of Animal Services. “It can help ensure that every pet is wanted and has a forever home and it gives the ones that are already here a chance at getting a home.”
Spay and neuter surgeries at the new Homestead Community Spay/Neuter Clinic, are available as follows:
- Dogs – Thursday, Friday and Saturday Cost $30
- Cats – Thursday, Friday and Saturday Cost $15
- Walk-in service is available on a limited first come, first served basis on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling 3-1-1.
The clinic will also offer free Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) for community cats. The TNR program is an effective and humane method used to stabilize community cat populations. The program is free of charge to all Miami-Dade County residents, no appointment is necessary.
This year, Animal Services will move to a new building—at 3599 NW 79 Ave, Doral, FL 33122— with an expanded clinic space to help increase the number of spay/neuter services.
