GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Bissell Pet Foundation's "Operation Fix the Future" program is in full swing, providing free spay-and-neuter services to help control the pet population.
According to Cathy Bissell, founder of the Bissell Pet Foundation, nearly 200 cats and dogs were being spayed and neutered on Monday alone. Bissell said the foundation has been running this program since March 2024, and they have performed more than 3,500 spay-and-neuter procedures.
The program is a collaborative effort, as animal shelters reach out to their communities to organize pets to come in for the free services, which also include vaccinations and microchipping.
Jen Self-Aulgur, executive director of Harbor Humane Society, said these clinics are a "lifeline" for the sheltering community, as they are dealing with an unprecedented number of kittens and puppies being dropped off. She explained that every pet they fix helps prevent future litters that could end up in shelters.
By offering the procedures at no charge, the Bissell Pet Foundation hopes to reach owners who couldn't otherwise afford the cost. Bissell stated they are "really tackling community-owned pets because there's a real need for people to get their pets spayed and neutered to help us stop this overpopulation."
The Bissell Pet Foundation encourages anyone interested in utilizing the "Operation Fix the Future" program to contact their local animal shelter to see if they participate.
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