Veterinarians Talk Spay/Neuter Awareness at AHS

Few understand the significance of public access to low-cost spay/neuter services better than the veterinarians who staff our Marge Wright Veterinary Clinic. The team completed more than 17,000 alterations on owned pets last year, mitigating pet overpopulation and protecting pets from serious health conditions. To get a better idea of why it’s so important to offer these services to our community at an affordable price, we spoke with the clinic’s very own Senior Manager Nicole Voigts, Dr. Amy Schunn and Dr. Heather Venkat.

What does “high-volume spay/neuter” mean to you and the clinic’s staff? Why is it so crucial to offer this service to our community?

A: High-volume spay/neuter also goes by the name “High-quality-high-volume spay and neuter” (HQHVSN). HQHVSN allows people from all backgrounds to have access to veterinary care for their pets. High-volume is not a substitute for quality, as our team is dedicated to providing the highest quality care to each and every patient that comes through our doors.

Our team is committed to improving the health and well-being of our community’s pets and strengthening the bond between pets and their families. Through HQHVSN, we are able to keep pets in homes and out of the shelter. How do we do this? We prevent pregnancy and breeding, limit intact animal behaviors such as marking and aggression, and prevent certain types of cancers and infections. On average every month, we perform 550 spays and neuters for dogs and cats!

Can you tell us about the evolution of spay/neuter services at the Arizona Humane Society?

A: The Marge Wright Veterinary Clinic has been serving the community offering HQHVSN for the last two decades! With the opening of our new Rob & Melani Walton Papago Park Campus, we are excited to be one step closer to the future expansion of our clinic at Sunnyslope, enabling us to offer more medical services to pets. This expansion, which was made possible by a generous grant from PetSmart Charities, will eventually include medical appointments, end of life services, radiology, ultrasound, wellness appointments and so much more. We will still be offering HQHVSN, too.

How important is the Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) program to our mission, and will it expand along with the clinic?

A: The TNR program aligns with our mission of combating pet overpopulation by specifically targeting feral cats who are unhoused. We currently offer two TNR events per month. One TNR event is fully funded by our donors, Circle of Friends, and we perform surgery on 90 cats from various local rescues/trappers and 10 dogs/cats from the San Carlos Apache Indian reservation. For the second TNR event, we partner with Animal Defense League of Arizona (ADLA) and perform surgery on 85-90 cats. We also have three standing appointments with ADLA on every Tuesday and Thursday.

Can you talk about some of the other initiatives our clinic is leading?

A: Currently for National Spay/Neuter Awareness month, we are offering $20 spays and neuters. We can offer this to our community thanks to our wonderful donors, Circle of Friends. In response to an influx of larger breed dogs in our community, we prioritized doing big dog spays on Mondays, which has now expanded to include other surgeries that are in high demand.

What is your favorite part about working in our clinic?

A: Being able to help pet owners who need our services to get their pets spayed and neutered at an affordable price. Seeing the joy from clients and how grateful they are makes the hard work so rewarding. We know we are making a difference in the lives of people and their pets. Our team is driven by many things: our supportive leadership and how well we all work together, our passion for reducing disease and overpopulation, and watching our patients grow from puppies and kittens to adult pets.

What is one thing you want our community to know about the life of a veterinarian in our spay/neuter clinic?

A: Each morning, we are excited to wake up and make a difference in our community by providing low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for pets. Every day we conduct thorough physical exams and bloodwork, ensuring pets’ readiness for surgery. We address any issues like cryptorchidism or hernias during spay/neuter procedures. With vigilant monitoring, anesthesia safety and post-op care including pain management and vaccinations, we prioritize pets’ well-being throughout their stay.

It’s our goal to make the process as smooth as possible for pet owners, so that they have all the information they need when they go home with their pet. Day in and day out, we are able to better foster the human-animal bond and help pets live longer, healthier lives. We want our community to know that we love what we do each day, and we will care for your pets like our own!