INDIANAPOLIS — The weather is getting warmer, and that means puppy season is upon us.
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FIDO Indy is working to make sure all dogs in Marion County are spayed and neutered.
“People leaving them out to die. I see that every day," Eric Mathes said. “I don’t want them having puppies and stuff like that. It’s very hard. I see other animals that are out there, puppies and cats, all the time.”
Mathes had his four dogs fixed with the help of FIDO Indy.
“They help people that’s like low income people. People that’s on social security and people that their jobs are not very good," he said.
The animal welfare group offers a Spay Neuter Assistance Program.
A FIDO Indy employee or volunteer contacts clients to schedule their pets for spay/neuter transport, and arrives on the day of the surgery in a FIDO Indy cargo van to pick up the pets. Animals are placed into individual transport carriers on the van and delivered to partner clinics for surgery.
After surgery and recovery, their team picks up the animals in the van and returns them home.
Their goal is to spay/neuter 1000 dogs by the end of the year.
“We cover the cost of the surgery, including basic vaccinations and a microchip," Executive Director Darcie Kurtz said.
Kurtz says there’s an overpopulation of dogs in Indianapolis right now.
This can lead to instances of neglect, abuse or even death.
“We see litters of puppies being given away at the side of the road. We found moms with litters of puppies under abandoned buildings. It’s a crisis," she said.
FIDO Indy encourages families to consider scheduling an appointment.
“Besides the pet overpopulation problem, there’s also a lot of health benefits for dogs; there’s behavioral benefits, they’re less likely to roam, less likely to bite someone," Kurtz said.
FIDO Indy asks for a $50 co-pay per animal to offset costs, though they will work with clients to ensure that all animals in a household receive services.
You can visit 1505 N Sherman Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46201 every Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. to register.
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Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.
