Pet Overpopulation in Mesa County

Click here to read press release about how Orchard Mesa Veterinary Clinic is donating spay/neuter services to local animal shelters to make a difference!

The Problem

Mesa County residents love their pets; they are our best friends and members of our families.  Thanks to the invaluable work of animal organizations, volunteers, and responsible animal owners, many pets are adopted from Mesa County Animal Services and other animal care organizations.. While we are pleased that many of our furry friends have found homes, we are also sadly aware many animals in Mesa County were not so lucky.

By controlling the number of animals reproducing, we can reduce the number of pets that must be destroyed. Too many animals are not being spayed or neutered, leading to random breeding.

In six years, a female dog and her offspring can produce up to 67,000 other dogs. A female cat and her offspring can produce up to a startling 420,000 kittens in just seven years.

The Solution

Controlling pet births is essential to saving animals’ lives. Educating citizens about the need to control the number of animals reproducing can reduce the number of pets that must be destroyed.  In order to assist local counties and cities in their efforts to control the pet overpopulation problem, Colorado has established a Pet Overpopulation Fund.  Mesa County Animal Services has two programs to help with this problem: 

• Project SNAPs:   Mesa County Animal Services and local participating veterinarians ensure that all animals adopted from our facility are examined by a veterinarian, receive their rabies shot and license and are altered so that we do not contribute to the pet overpopulation problem. 

• Project PUPs:  The mission of project PUPs is to assist citizens with the spaying and neutering of  dogs, cats, rabbits and potbelly pigs until there are no homeless pets in Mesa County.  This program is a partnership between pet owners, their veterinarians and Mesa County Animal Services. 
   

Millions of puppies and kittens are born every year. Most of them are unwanted. Less than 50% of these potentially precious pets will find a permanent home. Too often they end up at shelters, are injured or killed by cars or meet other sad endings. These animals also destroy property looking for food. They spread animal diseases and most face short, miserable lives, usually less than 1 year.

Project PUPs was born in April of 1993. Through this program help is available to defray the cost of these very important sterilization procedures. Certificates are redeemable from local veterinarians for a $25 credit for neutering any dog, cat, rabbit or potbelly pig and a $35 credit for spaying any dog, cat, rabbit or potbelly pig. These certificates are given to any Mesa County citizen to provide incentive for spaying and neutering pets. We have a limited number of vouchers for Spay/Neuter assistance.  To view our Project Pups Brochure, click here

If you would like to fill out an automated request form for a

PUPs certificate to be mailed to you, please click here. 

Any help for this fund will be welcome and appreciated. Please send donation to:

Project PUPs

P.O. Box 20000

Grand Junction, CO 81502-5002