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Every day in the United States, thousands of healthy dogs and cats are euthanized. Thousands more homeless animals die on streets and back roads because they don't have food, shelter or medical care. With tens of thousands of puppies and kittens born every day, there are simply not enough homes to go around.

The problem of free-roaming and homeless cats affects all of us. Abandoned and stray animals can carry rabies and other serious diseases. Thousands of dollars are spent annually on housing, feeding, and euthanizing unwanted animals that are found abandoned or brought to animal shelters.

Volunteers at the Oswego County Humane Society take in about 100 cats a year. Those animals are the lucky ones. Caring volunteers have the cats spayed or neutered, find adoptive homes, and provide veterinary care if needed.

Unfortunately there are a limited number of volunteer caretakers, and the vast majority of stray cats are left to fend for themselves.

There is a solution.

The county needs an aggressive spaying and neutering program for free-roaming cats. The humane society plans to run a high-volume clinic on two weekend days a month. Their research shows that if they could spay or neuter about 600 cats per year, the population would be significantly reduced after several years. A number of veterinarians and veterinary technicians in Oswego County have expressed an interest in helping.

The program would offer spaying and neutering at an affordable rate to low-income cat owners, people with barn cats or feral colonies, and kindhearted folks who feed the neighborhood strays. Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and volunteers would run the program. Volunteers would bring cats, in cages or carriers, and help prep them. The veterinarian and assistant would perform the surgery. The cats would be monitored and released when they were recovered.

What's missing? A place to run the clinic.

The humane society needs about 600 square feet of heated space, preferably near Oswego or Fulton, with running water, a washable floor, and convenient access. Cats would not be allowed to run freely. They would be caged unless they were under anesthesia.

Board member Joanne Piersma said the league is willing to reimburse the donor for costs incurred and to pay rent for office space. The agency is fully insured.

Anyone who can help fill this need is asked to call the Oswego County Humane Society at 207-1070.

Your help will make a big difference for the humane society, thousands of animals, and our entire community.