Harlingen to begin spay and neuter program

HARLINGEN, Texas ( ValleyCentral ) — The City of Harlingen is taking action over the city’s growing stray animal population.

The city has secured funding to stop the problem at its source. The Harlingen Community Improvement Board has approved $200,000 for the spay and neuter program, which mainly aims at stabilizing the number of stray cats within city limits.

Harlingen Environmental Health Director Shannon Harvill says the program’s goal is to address the issue at its root.

“Cats have a tendency to be overly territorial, so if we can spay and neuter those animals and release them back to the neighborhood where they came from,” Harvill said. “It will help alleviate new cats coming in but yet the new cats that will be there won’t be reproducing.”

The cats will also be given a rabies shot and veterinarians will tip off their left ear to indicate they are already part of the program.

As for dogs, Harvill says only those adopted through the shelter will be spayed and neutered.

Harlingen resident Magdalena Camargo has seven dogs and cats that she has had spayed and neutered. She says this program is a step in the right direction.

“Killing them is not the answer because it is not their fault that they are out there in the streets, so I think if they can collect them and spay and neuter them that would be of great help,” Camargo said.

Harlingen City Commissioner for District Five Rene Perez the program will help make the stray pet population and community healthier.

Right now, there are no plans to hire an outside veterinarian company.

“We’re basically going to use the resources that we have right now,” Perez said. “Right now, we do have some relationships with some local veterinarians that we’re going to be using to help with the spay neutering here in the shelter, and hopefully also with the cat community program.”

The city plans to start implementing the program on Oct. 1. Anyone with questions can call the city at (956) 216-5220 or visit the local animal shelter.

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