First State Animal Center & SPCA celebrates National Pet Day

First State Animal Center - SPCA joins Delaware lawmakers to declare April 11 as National Pet Day to increase awareness of animal welfare issues

Kent County – Delaware        The 147th General Assembly in the State of Delaware has declared April 11, 2014 as National Pet Day to help increase awareness of animal welfare issues and adoptions throughout the state.  First State Animal Center-SPCA joins animal welfare programs across the state and country to promote the many programs that animal adoption centers and humane shelters provide, especially in the area of spay and neuter programs.  

"We commend the General Assembly for joining our efforts in increasing awareness of spay and neuter programs, which  lower the numbers of unwanted pets and pet overpopulation, " said J. Kevin Usilton,  Executive Director of the First State Animal Center - SPCA.  The declaration also recommends pet adoptions whenever possible.

Since October 1, FSAC-SPCA has made 957 successful pet adoptions.  Before cats and dogs are available for adoption, they are vaccinated, micro-chipped, and spay or neutered. FSAC-SPCA has also reunited 735 animals (mostly dogs) with their worried owners; the organization has the highest return-to-owner rate in the nation at a 45 percent success rate.

“When a family is ready for a companion pet, we highly recommend that the family consider visiting their local animal shelter, such as the FSAC-SPCA, and adopting the animal, giving it a second chance of life in what we hope is a forever home,” Usilton said. “While many of our dogs are mixed breeds, we will often have purebred animals – Saint Bernards, Labrador retrievers, poodles and yorkies available to adopt. We also have a nice selection of cats available for adoption, and sometimes we have exotic animals, such as pot-bellied pigs, parrots, ferrets, and lizards.”

Usilton added that the General Assembly's focus on spay neuter programs is timely - First State Animal Center - SPCA has three cat spay neuter clinics schedule on April 14, April 21, and April 28.   The surgery cost is $75 for a female and $55 for a male.  This cost includes a rabies Vaccine.  Additional procedures provided at cost.  The public can call to schedule at 302-943-6032.

Delaware Animal Care and Control, is a division of the First State Animal Center – SPCA, which enforces animal welfare laws throughout the entire state and the City of Wilmington. Since January, Animal Control has handled 2802 cases involving rabies control, appropriate housing, and animal cruelty. DEACC has offices in all three counties and the city of Wilmington, and DEACC officers answer calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The mission of the First State Animal Center and SPCA is twofold: we protect animals from people, by prevention of cruelty and suffering, rescue of the trapped or injured, emergency medical treatment, temporary housing for homeless animals and the reduction of homeless pet overpopulation through targeted spay/neuter and education programs; and we protect people from animals through our commitment  in placing only stable, safe and well-adjusted animals into homes where they will thrive while simultaneously educating the public about responsible pet guardianship.