MEDIA RELEASE

Did you know that kittens can go into heat and get pregnant as early as 4 months old and puppies around 5 months old?

If not sterilized, puppies and kittens can get pregnant and have a litter of their own just two months later. And it’s these accidental litters that end up in animal shelters with no place to call home.

To reduce these accidental births, Hawaii Island Humane Society, with funding provided by PetSmart Charities, is introducing the Did You Know? campaign, featuring a special $20 spay or neuter surgery for puppies and kittens under six months of age during the month of June.

While some pet parents may worry that their pet is too young for this procedure, spaying and neutering is safe and easy for kittens and puppies as young as eight to 10 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. In fact, Hawaii Island Humane Society has performed more than 5,000 pediatric spay/neuter surgeries since 2008.

“Many owners put off the procedure and wait until the puppy or kitten is six to eight months old,” says Donna Whitaker, HIHS Executive Director. “But by then, it can be too late. By then, a litter of puppies or kittens can be born.”

This special rate is even less than the organization’s normal low-cost priced and is available to all residents of Hawaii Island.

Pet parents who wish to take advantage of this offer must mention the “Did You Know?” promotion when they call to schedule their appointment.

Thanks to the PetSmart Charities grant, HIHS will provide 100 puppy and kitten sterilizations for $20 during June. Appointments will be taken on a first-come first-served basis beginning Monday, May 6.

For further information or to schedule an appointment, call the HIHS Spay Neuter Hotline at 987-7208 or call 329-1175 or visit www.HIHS.org