Business & Tech

Manassas Animal Clinic Saves Lives Through Discounted Spay, Neuter Services

Potomac Animal Clinic in the Manassas area offers steeply discounted spay and neuter services.

A new animal clinic in Prince William County is hoping to control the pet population and save the lives of animals by offering steeply-discounted spay and neuter services to Fairfax, Prince William County and Manassas residents. 

Since the clinic opened in late December, some 5,500 animals have been spayed or neutered, said Sarah Warner, operations manager for the Potomac Spay/Neuter Clinic, located just outside of Manassas off Nokesville Road. 

"The number one cause of animal deaths is euthanasia," Warner said.  Shelters become overcrowded especially doing the spring, which is known as "kitten season," in the veterinarian medicine world. Cats can have three to four litters a year while dogs can have two to four, she added. 

There are many "accidental litters" because it is a common misconception that an animal must be a year old before it can be spayed or neutered.
But in reality, an animal need only weigh at least 2 pounds. The ideal time to get the procedure is between 4 and 5 months old—before the first heat cycle, she said. 
"Some people have every intention to get it spayed, but then the cat runs out and the cat runs back in the house and it's pregnant," Warner said.  "The younger the animal, the easier the procedure is on them because you are more resilient when you're a kid."
In addition to preventing unfavorable behaviors such as running away from home and marking territory, having an animal spayed or neutered prevents certain types of cancers and other diseases,  she said. 

Still, there are many people who decide not to sterilized their animals. 
"It can get expensive. This is something that needs to be done; we want to remove the barriers to spaying and neutering and one of those barriers is finances," Warner said. 

The clinic takes referrals from Fairfax County and the Prince William American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PWASPCA) which offers a coupon to Manassas and Prince William County residents, she said. 

The coupon drives the cost of a spay or neuter down to just $75 for dogs and $25 for cats. 

Pet parents report receiving spay quotes anywhere from $900 to $1200, she said. 
Before the Manassas-area clinic opened, referrals from Fairfax County and the PWASPCA were done at its sister center, the Shenandoah Valley Spay/Neuter Clinic, in Harrisonburg, Warner said. 

"We were seeing almost 15 percent of our clients were from Northern Virginia," Warner said. 
The clinic was working with several nonprofits to run a transport van back and forth to Harrisonburg, she said. 
That's when the decision was made to open a new facility farther North. 

In addition to spay and neuter procedures, wellness visits and microchipping is also available at the clinic. 
A good time to get microchipped is after a sterilization procedure because the animal is already under anesthesia, Warner said. 

Most animals are free to go home the same day of their procedures.  

The clinic, located at 9975 Pennsylvania Ave., Manassas, accepts appointments by phone at 571-208-0199.   


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