East TN Spay Neuter-Critter Care resumes clinic transportation
Published 5:09 pm Monday, September 21, 2020
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Contributed Photo ETSN volunteers help prep the bus.
Contributed Photo The bus is now ready for a makeover.
Contributed Photo The bus’s graphic wrap was last done in 2010.
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Get your furry friends ready for spaying and neutering.
The East Tennessee Spay and Neuter organization is resuming their monthly transport to and from the Margaret B. Mitchell Spay & Neuter Clinic in Bristol, Va.
The nonprofit organization has now begun booking for their Oct. 14 trip.
“We are excited to resume monthly transports to and from the clinic,” said Stacey Heiden, Projects and Operations Manager for the group. “We know a lot of people have been waiting to use our transport.”
Pet owners can come sign up for the organization’s spay/neuter low cost, or low income program, every Saturday at the ETSN “Purrple” Bus located in the Elizabethton Tractor Supply parking lot from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. They will also continue to offer the self-transport option.
Animals stay overnight at the clinic and are then brought back to their owners where they were dropped off.
Heiden explained that transportation to the clinic has been halted since April due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Along with spaying and neutering being slowed due to the virus, Heiden described an increase in animal populations. Her hope is that people will take advantage of this service now that it has resumed.
“We’re seeing an uptick in puppies and kittens, so we’re encouraging everyone to get them spayed and neutered so that we can break the cycle,” she said.
While transportation is resuming, it is kindly asked that the public practice the following:
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Wear a mask when interacting with ETSN.
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Stand 6 feet apart.
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Bring a pen.
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Provide low income proof if applicable.
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Bring your I.D.
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Have cash in hand.
“We try not to make things too difficult on people, we want to make things easy,” she said.
In addition to resuming transportation, the “Purrple Bus” will be getting some TLC.
“Our ETSN Purrple Bus, which has been a local non-profit icon for the last 10 years in Elizabethton, is undergoing a makeover,” explained Heiden. “Currently retired from transporting pets, it now serves as our spay-neuter assistance office. With volunteer elbow grease, and kind donations from the public and local businesses, we hope to have the new graphic wrap applied soon.”
The nonprofit focuses on three main aspects: critter care, which provides transport to veterinary services for vaccines, a food pantry for the animals (new applicants are halted until early next year) and lower costing spay and neuter services. COVID-19 has impacted donations to the food pantry.
Donations to help fund the nonprofit, help aid the bus in its makeover or animal food donations for the pantry are welcome. Donations can be made during business hours, from 10 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the bus or through their secure paypal link on their website.
For more information on pricing and the nonprofit, go to http://www.etnspay-neuter.org/.
