Serving the animals and people of Marshall County, Indiana, USA

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Located at the corner of US 31 and 13th Road in Plymouth, Indiana
(574) 936-8300

M.C.H.S Katherine Garn Memorial 
Spay/Neuter Assistance Program
 Help Stamp Out Pet Overpopulation!

Due to pet overpopulation in Marshall County, hundreds of cats and dogs are euthanized each year because there are not enough good homes for them, and not enough space or money to house them at our shelter.    See the facts and figures below.¹

The purpose of our spay/neuter assistance program is to help control the pet overpopulation problem in Marshall County, thereby lowering the number of cats and dogs that must be euthanized each year.  

For various reasons, many cat and dog owners do not have their pets spayed or neutered.   For some people it is a lack of funds.  For others, a lack of knowledge about the overpopulation problem, or a misunderstanding about spaying and neutering.

Our spay/neuter assistance program is aimed at educating people, and assisting them financially with the cost of the spay or neuter surgery.

The fund is named in memory of the late Katherine Garn, whose generous bequest has made it possible for us to begin this desperately needed program.  Some revenue for the program will come from income generated from her bequest.   Other money will come from the "dog house" collection boxes that are placed at local businesses.   We will rely on designated contributions from M.C.H.S. members and patrons to fund the bulk of the program.

Since there is a limited amount of money in the fund, the number of vouchers awarded each month will vary.  

To be eligible, both the applicant and the animal must live in Marshall County.  
 
Animals adopted through the M.C.H.S. shelter are not eligible, because the cost of their surgery has already been covered as part of the adoption agreement.

Click here to download the application in MS Word format, or stop by the shelter.  Read the instructions carefully.  You will be asked to supply proof of residency in Marshall County.  Fill in the application completely and sign it.  Bring it to the shelter or mail it to the address on the application.  

Financial need will play a part in the decision to award a voucher, but everyone with an unaltered pet is encouraged to apply, and applicants are not required to supply financial information.  Applicants will be notified in about 3 weeks whether or not they have been awarded a voucher.   

Pet owners who are awarded a voucher are required to make an appointment at one of the participating veterinarians prior to picking up their voucher.   When the pet owner takes the pet in for the surgery, they give the voucher to the veterinarian.  After the surgery, the vet will send the voucher to M.C.H.S. with their invoice for the cost of the surgery.     M.C.H.S. will only pay the value of the voucher, so it is important to discuss any additional charges with your vet when calling for the appointment.   In certain cases there may be vaccinations required by the vet, or extra surgery charges might apply, depending on special circumstances.  M.C.H.S. cannot cover any charges above the amount of the voucher under any circumstances.    The voucher cannot be used for any purpose except the spay/neuter surgery on the animal for which the voucher was awarded.  The surgery must be performed by the expiration date of the voucher.

Most local veterinarians participate in the program.   They have made an agreement with Marshall County Humane Society to perform the spay neuter surgery for a lower than usual amount, depending on the species, sex, and weight of the animal.    You will be given a list of participating veterinarians with the application.

1. You can make a designated contribution to the fund by sending your check today.  Write "Spay/Neuter" in the memo section of your check and your contribution will be deposited directly into the spay/neuter account.  the success of the program depends on the support of our members and patrons.

2. Have your own pets spayed and neutered, and encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same.   If they need financial assistance, encourage them to apply for a voucher.

3.  Help educate other citizens about the facts of pet overpopulation, and the tragic number of dogs and cats euthanized every year.

4.  Arm yourself with facts about spaying and neutering, so you will be prepared to dispel some of the myths that keep people from having the surgery performed on their pets.

PLEASE click here for Myths and Truths about spaying and neutering


¹The following facts and figures were provided by the Humane Society of the United States.

1.   HSUS estimate of animals entering shelters: 8 to 12 million
2.  Average number of litters a fertile cat can produce: Three a year.  
3.  Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce: Two a year.
4.  Average number of animals in an average canine litter: Six to ten.  
5.  Average number of animals in an average feline litter: Four to Six.
6.  Number of dogs in six years that one female dog and her offspring can produce:  67,000.     
7.  Number of cats in seven years that one female cat and her offspring can produce: 420,000.
8   Average age when a fertile cat has her first litter: 10 months, puberty at 4 to 12 months.
9.  Average age when a fertile dog has her first litter: Puberty occurs at 5 to 18 months, some large breeds later.
10. Gestation period for dogs: 58 to 70 days.
11.  Gestation period for cats: 58 to 65 days.