PetSmart Charities Sponsors Primp Your Pit Promotion

PetSmart Charities, the country’s largest funder of spay/neuter efforts, will sponsor the “Primp Your Pit” promotion during the month of August as a result of a $1 million national spay/neuter grant program aimed at saving the lives of pit bull terriers, which are one of the most at-risk populations for euthanasia due to shelter over-crowding.

The grant program builds on PetSmart Charities’ efforts to improve spay/neuter rates, reduce shelter overcrowding and increase pet adoption. It provides clinics resources to spay or neuter pit bulls.

During the month of August, 63 non-profit spay/neuter clinics nationwide will provide spay/neuter surgeries for a special rate of $20 including a free nail trim with a goal of reaching a total of 6,750 pit bull terriers in 30 states combined.

Today, 35 percent of dogs and cats in U.S. households are not spayed or neutered yet the procedure is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet population. Pit bulls, in particular, end up in shelters in large numbers due to the myths and negative perceptions that are associated with the breed.

“Our national grant program gives much-needed help to pit bull terriers that are especially at risk,” said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities, Inc. “Through the ‘Primp Your Pit’ promotion and our ongoing efforts to make affordable spay/neuter surgeries available to the public, pet parents can prevent unwanted litters and ensure their pet lives a long, happy life.

Each year, about 8 million pets end up in shelters and 4 million of them – about 11,000 a day – are euthanized. Many of these homeless pets are a result of accidental litters from pets that are not spayed or neutered.

Through this promotion, spay/neuter clinics receive: grant funds to help lower the cost of spay/neuter for the public; professionally-developed marketing materials to educate the public; and funding and support to advertise and promote the campaigns in local communities.

To find high-quality, low-cost spay/neuter services locally, go to www.petsmartcharities.org and click on Spay/Neuter to access a free searchable database made possible through a partnership between PetSmart Charities and the ASPCA.