How a truck may help the region's pet overpopulation
Jean Jadhon WDBJ-TV Anchor/Reporter

3:23 p.m. EDT, June 24, 2011

A truck may help ease the area's pet population. The truck has the words "hip to snip" on the side, along with a photograph of a gray cat.

The box truck will be used to transport cats and dogs from all over the region and bring them to the Mountain View Humane Society in Christiansburg for low cost spaying and neutering.

"This allows us to take it out to different counties to bring in animals and feral cats," said Barabara Dalhouse, the Roanoke Valley SPCA Board President.

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"The need is astronomical. It's almost immeasurable," said Kelly Cass, Mountain View Humane Society's Executive Director.  "Our services are less than half the average veterinarian  price which will allow people who can't afford a full service vet."

If you ever wondered just how severe the over population of pets is, consider this statistic."For every human that's born right now, seven puppies or kittens are born," said Cass. "Nine times out of 10 the animals end up in a shelter somewhere and we just have to hope they find homes."

Berglund automotive donated the box truck.  "It's a standard box van, a Chevrolet. They took it and got it retrofitted with air conditioning and heat," said William Farrell with Berglund Automotive. "It's all set up in the back to carry crates of animals."

The transportation is free and will be used for not only strays and shelter animals, but also for pets whose owners can't afford to spaying and neutering.

 "Of the animals we see, many have never seen a vet and possibly will never see a veterinarian," Cass said. "So it's a very big need for the low income population, and for rural areas just to have the availability of low cost spaying and neutering."

For more information  Mountain View Humane Society