Animal Allies prevents more than 17,000 homeless pets

COEUR d'ALENE — Animal Allies of Idaho has exhausted a $10,000 grant used to help cover the cost of spaying and neutering animals in the community.

According to a press release from the organization, the group received the grant from the Inland Northwest Community Foundation and, in just six months, exhausted the fund by subsidizing spay and neuter costs for 116 at-risk cats and dogs. Animal Allies procedure vouchers were issued through the St. Vincent de Paul HELP Center in Coeur d'Alene, the release states, and the grant money covered the additional cost above a co-pay for having the pet spayed or neutered.

“The Animal Allies collaboration with the HELP Center began two years ago and has proven to be highly successful in helping pet owners who can least afford their pets’ medical expenses, which makes their pets most at-risk of adding to the homeless pet population,” said Ronnee McGee, Animal Allies founder and volunteer executive director. “The generous INWCF grant was exhausted in six months and we’re now using general fund donations to keep this essential spay-neuter program going.”

Animal Allies, the release adds, is funded entirely through grants, donations and fundraising projects. The public charity's objective is to prevent future homeless pets by making spaying and neutering more affordable through the voucher programs.

Since February of 2014, the charity has helped spay or neuter more than 1,700 cats and dogs in North Idaho, with the release adding the effort likely prevented more than 17,000 animals each year "for years to come."

For more information, visit AnimalAlliesID.org or call (208) 930-0065.