Marty
06-16-2005, 09:37 PM
San Francisco, CA -- Free fixes for pit bulls and a $10 bonus. The offer from a San Mateo County animal shelter, an effort to control pit bull population and behavior, appears to be working, a shelter spokesman reported today.
"We've had 21 surgeries scheduled now in just three business days,'' said Scott Delucchi of the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA. "Which is fabulous. It's what we had hoped for from the very beginning.''
Typically the shelter would see just a few pit-bull surgeries scheduled in that time frame, Delucchi said.
The program has been so popular that the shelter is getting calls from all over the state. However, "Our offer is only for San Mateo County residents,'' Delucchi said.
PHS/SPCA regularly participates in pit-bull neutering days, but the shelter began offering the incentive program after a recent pit-bull mauling in San Francisco left a 12-year-old boy dead. That incident, along with a recent attack of woman in Rohnert Park, has prompted intense discussion about the controversial breed. Some have called for banning the breed or disallowing the adoption of pit bulls.
While Delucchi acknowledges that pit bull bites can be more harmful than bites from other breeds, he asserts that spaying and neutering dogs goes far in curbing aggressive behavior. Ninety-five percent of dog attacks on humans come from animals that have not been spayed or neutered, according to Delucchi, who also said unaltered male dogs account for 70 percent of those attacks.
The PHS/SPCA plans to continue the pit-bull-altering incentive program indefinitely, Delucchi said.
If it costs the shelter $1,000, "In our minds that's a small, small price to pay,'' he said. "If we get 300 people to do this and end up spending $3,000 that would be great."
San Mateo County residents interested in scheduling the surgery for their pit bulls or pit-bull mixes should call (650) 340-7025.
The PHS/SPCA also will host a free workshop tonight for pit bull owners on understanding and handling pit bull behavior. An animal behaviorist and an animal care director at the shelter will discuss breed history and talk about how to be a responsible pit bull owner. The workshop is open to the public. One does not need be a San Mateo County resident to attend. Dogs are not allowed. The workshop begins at 6:30 p.m. at 12 Airport Blvd. in San Mateo.
"We've had 21 surgeries scheduled now in just three business days,'' said Scott Delucchi of the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA. "Which is fabulous. It's what we had hoped for from the very beginning.''
Typically the shelter would see just a few pit-bull surgeries scheduled in that time frame, Delucchi said.
The program has been so popular that the shelter is getting calls from all over the state. However, "Our offer is only for San Mateo County residents,'' Delucchi said.
PHS/SPCA regularly participates in pit-bull neutering days, but the shelter began offering the incentive program after a recent pit-bull mauling in San Francisco left a 12-year-old boy dead. That incident, along with a recent attack of woman in Rohnert Park, has prompted intense discussion about the controversial breed. Some have called for banning the breed or disallowing the adoption of pit bulls.
While Delucchi acknowledges that pit bull bites can be more harmful than bites from other breeds, he asserts that spaying and neutering dogs goes far in curbing aggressive behavior. Ninety-five percent of dog attacks on humans come from animals that have not been spayed or neutered, according to Delucchi, who also said unaltered male dogs account for 70 percent of those attacks.
The PHS/SPCA plans to continue the pit-bull-altering incentive program indefinitely, Delucchi said.
If it costs the shelter $1,000, "In our minds that's a small, small price to pay,'' he said. "If we get 300 people to do this and end up spending $3,000 that would be great."
San Mateo County residents interested in scheduling the surgery for their pit bulls or pit-bull mixes should call (650) 340-7025.
The PHS/SPCA also will host a free workshop tonight for pit bull owners on understanding and handling pit bull behavior. An animal behaviorist and an animal care director at the shelter will discuss breed history and talk about how to be a responsible pit bull owner. The workshop is open to the public. One does not need be a San Mateo County resident to attend. Dogs are not allowed. The workshop begins at 6:30 p.m. at 12 Airport Blvd. in San Mateo.