Animal Advocates of Chattooga County is helping spread the word about an upcoming transportation opportunity for Chattooga County pet owners seeking affordable spay and neuter services through My Kids Have Paws Veterinary Services.
Pet owners in Chattooga County have an opportunity to receive financial assistance for spay and neuter surgeries through a partnership between Animal Advocates of Chattooga County and My Kids Have Paws Veterinary Clinic.
The program helps cover a portion of the cost of spay or neuter surgery and a rabies vaccination for dogs and cats owned by Chattooga County residents. Surgeries will be performed at My Kids Have Paws Veterinary Clinic, located at 169 Waterfront Way in Dalton.
Pet owners must contact the veterinary clinic directly to schedule an appointment. Animal Advocates of Chattooga County is not able to schedule appointments.
A $40 deposit per pet is required when scheduling. Twenty dollars of that deposit will be refunded when the owner arrives for the appointment. Owners are responsible for any additional veterinary services their pet may need.
The program is limited to 10 pets per household and is available while funding lasts. If a pet is pregnant, owners are asked to notify the clinic when scheduling.
To schedule an appointment, call My Kids Have Paws Veterinary Clinic at 706-671-1104, option 4.
Walker County officials are clarifying the county’s new spay and neuter ordinance and explaining which pet owners may qualify for exemptions.
The ordinance requires most dogs and cats six months of age or older to be spayed or neutered unless the animal qualifies for an exemption or the owner purchases an annual unaltered animal license. County leaders say the goal is to reduce pet overpopulation and ease pressure on the Walker County Animal Shelter.
Exemptions include animals owned by licensed commercial breeders or pet dealers, animals with a veterinarian-certified medical exemption, and working animals used for farming, herding, hunting, service work, law enforcement, or show purposes. Owners must have proper documentation.
Pet owners who do not qualify for an exemption may purchase an annual license through the Walker County Animal Shelter. The fee is $100 per year for dogs and $50 per year for cats, with proceeds going toward the county’s spay and neuter voucher program.
County officials say the ordinance will be reviewed later this year to evaluate how well it is working.
With dangerous heat and heat index values climbing above 100 degrees across Northwest Georgia, veterinarians and agricultural experts are urging pet owners and livestock producers to take extra precautions to protect animals from heat-related illness.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for nitenpyram, a medication used to treat New World screwworm infestations in dogs and cats. The action marks the first approval of a generic animal drug specifically authorized for use against the flesh-eating parasite.
Cold weather can be dangerous for pets, with real risks of hypothermia and frostbite—especially for short-haired, small, elderly, or sick animals. The safest plan is simple: keep pets indoors as much as possible, limit time outside, and take a few extra precautions when they do go out.