Liberty Humane Sets Ambitious Goal For Mobile Spay-Neuter Clinic

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — The Liberty Humane Society has an ambitious goal for the first year of its mobile spay/neuter clinic: 5,000 surgeries. But with an urgent local need for low-cost spay/neuter services – the shelter’s program is the first in Hudson County – that total may be entirely within the Jersey City-based group’s grasp.

The LHS, which also services Hoboken, cut the ribbon for its mobile clinic last month during a ceremony at 235 Jersey City Boulevard, capping off a campaign that gained the support of Jersey City’s Jaclyn Fulop and Exchange Physical Therapy Group (EPTG).

That campaign eventually raised more than $125,000 for the nonprofit animal shelter, more than quadruple the initial goal. In addition to paying for a van to house the clinic, the huge swell of community support will also provide the initial funding for the LHS to subsidize services for low-income residents who can’t normally afford to spay or neuter their pets.

• See related article: Lack of Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinics in Hudson County Leads to Unique Solution

The need is pressing, according to the LHS:

“Currently, in New Jersey there are very few subsidies for spay/neuter. Some towns enter into contracts with providers to pay for residents to access discounted services, but they are not very common and still can be too expensive for the pet owner. And in most cases, the town picks up the bulk of the cost. Liberty Humane in partnership with EPTG has developed a program to raise the funds to cover the low-cost spay and neuter program entirely, similar to the nonprofits in New York City.”

Due to current capacity and resources, the program is designed initially for large dogs (40+ pounds) and outdoor cats in colonies of 10 or fewer whose owners/caretakers reside in the contracted service areas of Jersey City and Hoboken. Eligible pet owners would pay $10 to spay or neuter their dog or cat. (Learn more about the clinic here)

So far, the clinic is off to a good start, having performed more than 100 surgeries as of July 31, LHS staff reported.

Executive Director Irene Borngraeber thanked Fulop and Exchange Physical Therapy Group for their fundraising efforts and said that the LHS staff was “thrilled” to cut the ribbon on their new clinic.

“We saw there was a great need in the community and wanted to help and ensure that all of Jersey City’s cats and dogs have a chance at a good life,” said Fulop, co-owner of Exchange Physical Therapy Group. “We couldn’t be prouder than we are today to cut the ribbon on the van and see it in operation. We know this will impact many pet-owning families.”

Looking to help the ongoing cost of running the clinic? Make a donation here.

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Photo: Liberty Humane Society