lifesapet.com

The PV Village Vet Clinic and PURRfect Partners are sponsoring a free spay and neuter clinic for free-roaming cats Sunday, Feb. 21, in Redondo Beach.

The volunteers hope to treat as many as 110 cats, said Debra Corwin, founder of PURRfect Partners in Redondo Beach. She noted that the number of kittens born each year is increasing.

“There used to be a kitten season, but now cats are having kittens year-round,” she said.

Dr. Stacy Fuchino, who along with Dr. Philippa Hodgen will be performing the surgeries, said that it’s important to get feral cats spayed and neutered so the feral population does not increase.

“A lot of these kittens and cats end up in shelters, which is their demise,” he said. “A lucky few find homes, but many of them get sick and are euthanized.”

Fuchino spent two years working at Animal Birth Control in Lomita, where vets completed as many as 100 spay/neuter surgeries in a day.

“I’ve experienced anything that can or will happen,” he said, “I know how to manage the surgery and recovery for large numbers of animals.” He and Hodgen use small incisions, which minimizes postoperative complications.

Caregivers and trappers can drop off free-roaming cats in humane traps. The cats will undergo surgery and receive pain medication, Revolution treatment (for fleas, ear mites, mange, hookworm and roundworm) and a large ear clip to identify them as spayed or neutered cats.

Reservations are required and can be obtained by calling (310) 373-1585. Calls will be returned within 24 hours. Corwin said that experts are available to teach local residents how to trap cats safely.

Cats must weigh a minimum of 2 pounds and must be transported to and from the clinic in a humane manner. Caregivers will need to be sure cats have not eaten the day of surgery. The clinic will accept only cats that are in humane traps — cats brought in carriers will be referred to another free or low-cost clinic.

PV Village Pet Clinic is located at 201 Palos Verdes Blvd. Drop-off time is between 7 and 8 a.m. Pickup time is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Donations are welcome, and all money is used for cat care.

“There’s a lot of money spent for animal control, and it’s a burden on animal shelters and taxpayers,” Fuchino said. “If we can help decrease the feral cat population, we can help out communities.”

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