Volunteers help control pet population

SNAP’s inspiration: More than half of the 16,548 animals turned into Springfield’s animal shelters last year were euthanized. SNAP is working to reduce those numbers in hopes of reaching its ultimate goal – to go out of business.

SNAP began in 2000 with a handful of individuals.

“There were several people involved in starting it,” said Treasurer Anne Heim. “I was doing some rescue. I was helping a gentleman spay and neuter all of the cats in his barn. There wound up being well over 200 that had come from just one stray cat over a three- or four-year period.”

The veterinarian that Heim had used to spay and neuter these animals showed interest in assisting her with similar operations in the future. So with two others, Connie Chitwood and Jackie Glass, Heim led a push to spay and neuter the pets of low-income families in August 2000.

“The phone hasn’t stopped ringing since,” Heim said.

SNAP got its formal start a month later.

“We never sat down in the beginning and said ‘This is where we would like to be’ and when. We just felt like we were trying to stop the snowball,” Heim added. “But when we look back and see where we started -– I think where we are now is great.”

The goal of the program is to curb pet overpopulation by spaying and neutering cats and dogs at a reduced cost for families who do not have the financial means to do so. “We charge a set fee, but depending on the situation, for instance, if someone doesn’t have any money at all to put toward neutering their pet, we can sometimes get a sponsorship for that animal,” Heim said.

SNAP officials work with a network of about 40 veterinarians within a 75-mile radius from Springfield.

“The bulk of what we do is here in Springfield, but we do a lot of work in Taney and Christian counties as well,” said Vice President Janet Martin, adding that the group has helped families as far out as Cabool.

She said that the organization has secured a grant to focus on issuing a large number of spay/neuter certificates in the 65802 ZIP code.

“I think that grant will make a huge impact,” Martin said. “The Springfield Animal Control calls are very concentrated in that area, and a significant number of the animals taken to the Humane Society are from that ZIP code.”

In addition to limiting the area’s homeless pet population, SNAP seeks to educate area residents on why its work is so important. Yet for all of its efforts, SNAP maintains a very low overhead; there are no paid employees and 93 cents of every dollar donated goes to surgeries.

“I donate to SNAP because I am a big animal lover and I really believe in what they promote. There are too many homeless animals out there, we don’t need any more,” said corporate donor Kay Mathews, owner of Springfield civil engineering firm Mathews and Associates Inc. “But this is a strictly volunteer organization – so I know that the money I contribute goes to the cause, not to somebody’s salary.”

SNAP’s income is generated through two annual fund-raisers: the Ice Cream Chill Out ice cream social held in July and a wine tasting held in November at the Vandivort Ballroom. The charity also accepts private and corporate donations, and kicked off a charter membership drive in November that has raised $3,395 from 68 members. SNAP also generates income by recycling printer cartridges and selling pet-related merchandise crafted by volunteers.

“We do a lot of little things that really add up,” Martin said.

Martin said that the organization does not have any specific celebration plans for its fifth anniversary, but volunteers have big hopes for the future.

“In the next five years, we hope to be able to convince Springfield Animal Control to put public money toward a spay neuter program rather than toward hiring additional staff and expanding their shelters. That would free us to do more work in areas outside of Springfield,” she said.

For the time being, SNAP board members are pleased with the progress the group has already made. Heim said, “We get calls from people who recognize that something needs to be done and are willing to do it. A lot of people want to be responsible; they just need some extra help financially or with transportation to be able to do that. People who didn’t think spaying or neutering was possible for (their pets) are getting it done.”

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