A Butler County milestone passed unnoticed this summer: the 2,000th dog or cat was sterilized through the efforts of Operation Spay Neuter.

Organized as a nonprofit organization in 2005, according to its president, Lesley Bachman of Butler, the group operated on its first animal in 2007.

“We subsidize through the local veterinarians,” said Bachman. “They do the surgeries, we're just a fundraising part.”

She said Operation Spay Neuter helps pet owners pay for the operations.

Bachman said owners can call 724-287-7229 and leave their information on an answering machine.

The organization will send them an application and approve payment based on financial guidelines.

“It's based on their income. They pay what they can, and we cover the balance,” said Bachman.

The cost to spay or neuter a cat is usually $50 plus an additional $10 for a distemper shot, Bachman said. The $50 cost includes a rabies shot.

The cost to spay or neuter a dog can range from $50 to $110 based on the weight of the animal. A rabies shot is included in the cost.

“We have a list of veterinarians that we use. If there is time and they have a current veterinarian, that's who we send them to,” said Bachman.

One of the veterinarians is Dr. Denis Daman of Suburban Animal Clinic of Butler.

“Depending on the size of the animal, spaying a cat takes 20 to 30 minutes,” said Daman. “Dogs are a little bit longer, 30 to 40 minutes.”

“With the anesthesia they have today, I can spay a cat at 9 o'clock. At 12 o'clock it's up and standing in the cage,” he said.

“You can drop your animal off in the morning and pick it up in the early evening,” said Bachman.

“I would say it's a very common operation. I would say it's not dangerous,” said Bachman.

In addition to the veterinarians it uses, Operation Spay Neuter also arranges to bring in a mobile clinic that operates on cats only. A clinic will take kittens at 2 pounds or two months.

The clinics are owned by Animal Friends in Pittsburgh and Frankie's Friends in Tarentum, said Bachman.

“We arrange for them to come up. We schedule all the clients, and they come up and do the surgeries,” she said.

To pay for its operations, the 20 volunteers of Operation Spay Neuter raise money by setting up tables at craft shows and festivals and soliciting donations.

Bachman said twice a year the group sends out solicitation letters and also applies for grants from businesses and private groups.

Bachman, the owner of two spayed and neutered dogs, said she became involved in the group to lessen the number of animals being taken to shelters.

“I knew that the only way to prevent animals from being taken to shelters is to prevent litters which add to the overpopulation,” said Bachman.

“There were a few other people at the same time trying to start this group as well. We just joined together and made this one group,” Bachman said.

“A lot of people will keep their animals if they don't keep having litters. A lot can't afford to take them to the vets, but this assistance allows them to do that,” she said.

Bachman said the group also helps provide sterilization to caretakers of stray or feral cat colonies and, working with animal rescue organizations, to rescued dogs and cats.

Damon said he offers his services because “it's the animal that ends up suffering when people don't take full responsibility for taking care of their pets because they can't afford it.”

Damon said he contributes his time to help people, too.

“If people can't afford animals, maybe I can step in and do something to help them out, so they can at least enjoy the presence of an animal in their families and their lives,” said Damon.

“I want to see Butler County become a no more homeless pets community,” Bachman said.

• A dog can get pregnant at 5 months old.• The average number of puppies per litter is six to 10.• A cat can get pregnant at 4 months old.• The average number of kittens per litter is five.• Only about 20 percent of kittens find a lifelong home with humans.• Siblings and parents can and will breed with each other.• The one-time cost of a spay or neuter is less than the cost of an ad and raising a litter to adoption age.• Surplus animals overburden animal shelters.• 25 percent of all animals in shelters are purebred.• 70,000 kittens and puppies are born every day in the United States.SOURCE: Operation Spay Neuter Inc.