The spay and neuter clinic at the Daviess County Animal Shelter will open back up to the public on April 1, according to Amanda Green, CEO of It Takes a Village (ITV), the nonprofit now overseeing shelter operations.
Currently, the clinic’s services are limited to animals in the shelter’s care and those from low-income households. Green said the expansion is in response to community demand and a proactive effort to address overcrowding.
“We knew coming into this that the number one way to cut down on overcrowding is through spay and neuter,” Green said. “That’s what we wanted to focus on from day one.”
Beginning April 1, anyone in Daviess County will be able to schedule appointments for their dogs or cats. Green said ITV is working to implement an online portal for scheduling, but those who prefer can also call the shelter directly. Specific clinic hours and days of operation will be announced closer to that date.
ITV also plans to reserve some appointment slots for local shelters and rescues to use, and they’re pursuing grant funding to bring back low-income spay and neuter days on a monthly basis.
“We want to keep the cost affordable,” Green said, noting that spay and neuter services for dogs will average around $85. “We’re not changing the pricing — we just want to make it available to everyone.”
In-house veterinarian Dr. Julie Gray will oversee the procedures.
In addition to reopening the clinic, Green clarified how the shelter will handle stray animals once ITV takes over. She said anyone who finds a stray in Daviess County should call the shelter. If the finder is comfortable and able, they may bring the animal in themselves. ITV staff may also coordinate pickup, either directly or with assistance from Daviess County Animal Control.
“We never want someone to put themselves in danger, but if they’re comfortable, we’ll take the stray,” she said. “We’ll also have an after-hours number for emergency situations.”
Green emphasized that this process is separate from managed intake, which still applies to owner surrenders. While ITV will work with people to schedule surrenders when space is available, walk-in owner surrenders will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
As the April 1 transition approaches, ITV is also making updates to the shelter’s volunteer program. Green said volunteers must now be at least 14 years old. Those ages 14-15 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, while those 16 and older can volunteer with a signed parental consent form.
“We really want to grow the volunteer base that’s already there and bring in new faces,” Green said. “It’s a big shelter with a lot of needs, and there’s only so much staff. Volunteers are going to be crucial.”
She added that ITV has been working to build strong relationships with current volunteers and plans to continue holding meetings to answer questions and ease the transition.
“With any change, there are always concerns and growing pains,” she said. “But we’re committed to keeping an open line of communication and working together.”
Green said sharing the news about the public clinic was a top priority.
“We’ve heard so many people say they hoped this would come back, and we want them to know it is,” she said. “That was the big thing we wanted to get out there.”
