THOMASVILLE — The South Georgia Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic executive director is not surprised at the recent milestone reached by the facility — 10,000 sterilizations of dogs and cats since June 2015.

“People are grateful to get their animals spayed and neutered,” Carol Jones said.

The 425 Remington Ave. facility, founded by the late Jerry Henderson, serves a 75-mile radius of Thomasville with reduced rates for neutering and spaying of cats and dogs.

The 10,000th animal was a three-year-old bulldog, Gix’r. “His mom is Traci Trulock of Whigham,” Jones said.

The facility performs capacity surgeries of 35 to 40 daily three out of five days a week. 

“We’ve still got some growing to do,” Jones said.

To perform more surgeries would require expansion and more equipment and personnel.

The clinic employs two veterinarians, two office staff and four veterinary assistants.

Some 47 percent of clinic clients are public clients; 53 percent of clients are from area shelters and rescues. 

“We have approximately 45 rescue and shelter partners,” Jones said.

Clinic surgeries from June 2015 to July 6 are:

• 2,165 female dogs

• 1,378 male dogs

• 3,853 female cats

• 2,749 male cats

The cats include 2,628 community — or feral — felines.

“If we estimate that a female dog could give birth twice a year to an average litter of five puppies, 21,650 unwanted puppies were prevented from being born, through clinic sterilizations,” Jones said.

Because a female cat can give birth three times a year to an average litter of four kittens, 45,853 kittens were prevented from being born.

“We perform pediatric spays and neuters because four-month-old puppies and kittens are capable of reproducing,” Jones said. “We advocate fixing by four months and are capable of sterilizing two-month-old puppies and kittens if they are healthy and weigh at least two pounds.”

The clinic is funded by private donations and grants.

Through a partnership with the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society and a Petco grant, local community cats are sterilized at no cost, and those from surrounding counties are neutered or spayed at a reduced rate.

A Bissell grant allows for further cost cuts for community cats from surrounding counties. The Georgia Department of Agriculture also awards grants to the clinic.

The two-year-old clinic is a success, Jones said.

“People love their animals and don’t want litters of puppies and kittens,” she added.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820