CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Montgomery County Animal Care and Control has begun having spay and neuter surgeries on-site and at the shelter through its new Mobile Care Unit.
On Wednesday, newly hired veterinarian Dr. Christine Puskaric spent the day performing eight neuter surgeries, according to a news release from county spokesperson Michelle Hueffmeier. This marks the first time since its inception that MCACC has been able to perform its onsite procedures in-house.
“Our team has struggled with surgery backlogs and depended on local veterinary clinics for spay/neuter surgeries. As our community has grown, these clinics have become overwhelmed, and the need for these services has increased significantly,” Dave Kaske, Montgomery County Animal Care and Control director, said in the release.
“It was amazing to witness our first surgeries, after months of planning, coordination, and hard work to get certified with the state; including licensing, inspection, gathering equipment, and setting up the mobile unit. A mobile surgery unit is a huge step forward for MCACC and the community, and I am very grateful for our dedicated team’s hard work that made this effort possible.”
The MCACC mobile unit is equipped with an oxygen concentrator, anesthesia machine, vital signs monitoring equipment, and surgical sterilization equipment needed to perform surgeries such as spaying and neutering. The unit prepares animals for adoption as well as those that have already been adopted. The goal is to have all animals spayed or neutered before they are placed on the adoption floor so that they can go straight to their new homes. Once the new animal shelter is completed, there are plans to offer mobile services for pet owners who may not be able to afford veterinary care, the release said.
“We were excited to begin utilizing the mobile medical vehicle for spaying and neutering our adoptable shelter pets. The first day went great, and we anticipate this will make a big difference in getting the adopted animals into their forever homes much quicker,” Puskaric said.
For more information and services available at MCACC, visit https://mcgtn.org/animal-control.