Calverton, NY - January 28, 2016 - Warmer weather may still  be months away, but the Kent Animal Shelter wants you to “Beat the Heat” by spaying your cat in advance of her heat cycle and preventing unwanted litters from being born this spring.  Animal shelters commonly refer to spring time as “kitten season” because that is when they receive the largest influx numbers of unwanted litters that are difficult to adopt.

That’s why the Kent Animal Shelter is offering a special “Beat the Heat” campaign sponsored by PetSmart Charities, the largest funder of animal welfare efforts in North America  Through the “Beat the Heat” campaign, the Kent Animal Shelter will provide $20 spay and neuter surgeries for female cats during the month of February.

Spaying and neutering is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet population and is safe for kittens as young as eight to 10 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Spaying a female cat before the first heat cycle can be beneficial, improving the health of the pet by reducing the risk of certain reproductive cancers and infections.

“Female cats can have as many as three litters a year, and kittens can breed as young as four months old,” says Pamela Green, Executive Director of the Kent Animal Shelter. “Most people don’t want to see their cat get pregnant over and over again, so hopefully our ‘Beat the Heat’ campaign will serve as a gentle reminder to cat owners to sterilize their cats before they go into heat this year.”

This special $20 rate is even less than the organization’s normal low-cost price and is available to all residents of Long Island. Cat parents who wish to take advantage of this offer must mention the “Beat the Heat” campaign when they schedule their appointment. This campaign is based on availability.

Please visit www.KentAnimalShelter.com or call (631) 727-5731 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

PetSmart Charities’ “Beat the Heat” campaign provides more than $598,870 to spay/neuter clinics to fund affordable, high-quality spay and neuter surgeries for 17,488 female cats across the nation during the month of February. 

About Animal Shelter:
Kent Animal Shelter is a 501C3 organization established in 1968 in Calverton, NY that provides a no-kill haven for homeless animals, adoption services, a spay/neuter clinic, and humane education. More information is available at their website or by calling 631-727-5731.

About PetSmart Charities:
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. More than 400,000 dogs and cats find homes each year through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores and our sponsored adoption events. PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding spay/neuter services that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, separate from PetSmart, Inc.