by Suzi Taylor
From the 1998-99 4-H Clover Project Selection Guide

Dogs, cats get a helping hand in Lincoln County

Each year in the U.S., 12 million unwanted dogs and cats are destroyed. In Libby, well over 1000 are destroyed annually. To help reduce the animal populations so fewer animals would be destroyed, Lincoln County 4-H'ers Amanda and Jessica Shotzberger created the Eagles 4-H Spay and Neuter project.

Started in 1995 with profits from the sisters' 4-H hog, the project supplies free spay and neuter certificates to people who adopt pets through the animal shelter. Local veterinarians donate their services to cover half the cost of the spay or neuter; the other half comes from the project. Many donations have come in from the community, including profits from candy and firewood sales by the Eagles 4-H Club. So far, 200 spay and 150 neuter certificates have been issued through the program, at a value of thousands of dollars.

"There is a big demand for the certificates, even more than we can cover," said the Eagles 4-H'ers. "We are very pleased with this project and believe it is making a difference in Lincoln County."

Amanda and Jessica would love to help other counties start a spay and neuter program. Contact them by e-mail (shotz@libby.org) or through the Lincoln County MSU Extension Office (406-293-7781).

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