THOMASVILLE — The South Georgia Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic reached the 500 mark on Friday, a little more than one month after opening to the public, preventing the births of thousands of unwanted, homeless puppies and kittens.

The clinic, 425 Covington Ave., performed 118 surgeries in May on cats from the adjacent Miss Kitty Feline Sanctuary and dogs from the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society.

Another 285 surgeries were performed in June after the clinic opened to the public on June 8.

In July, the number reached and surpassed 500.

May and June numbers show:

• May — 53 cat spays, 37 cat neuters; 18 dog spays, 10 dog neuters

• June — 109 cat spays, 71 cat neuters; 62 dog spays, 43 dog neuters

“Since we live in a warm-weather climate, cats can come into heat several times a year. They start in late February, and we generally have the last kittens in October. Cats can come into heat and breed as early as four months of age,” said Carol Jones, clinic executive director.

The average litter is three to four kittens. The result is kittens having kittens.

“A smart and healthy female cat can be responsible for thousands of cats, generation after generation,” said Jones, chairman of the Miss Kitty board of directors and Humane Society board member emeritus.

Last Monday, 15 cats from the Leon County (Fla.) Humane Society were neutered or spayed at the clinic, followed by 14 (Leon County) dogs the next day. An additional 10 animals from the Tallahassee facility will undergo surgery at the clinic this week.

The clinic, which employs two veterinarians and support staff, also has performed a number of surgeries on dogs and cats from the Humane Society of Valdosta and animal rescue facilities in Cairo.

Jones said personnel at Moody Air Force Base at Valdosta expressed interest in the clinic for neutering and spaying of animals belonging to people who live on the military base.

Surgeries also are being performed on feral cats. “Private citizens have been bringing them in,” Jones explained, adding that a concerted effort will be organized to capture, neuter, spay and release many more feral felines.

With the exception of feral cats, appointments are necessary for the surgeries. Feral cats must be taken to the clinic in humane traps.

Feral cat surgery is performed for a fee of $35, which includes a rabies vaccination and the clipping of a neutered or spayed cat’s ear, the universal signal that the animal is sterile.

“We can do surgery on an animal as young as two months as long as they weigh two pounds. Ideally, surgery would be done at three months, since that is when the animal is old enough to receive a rabies vaccination, which we offer only at the time an animal comes for its spay or neuter surgery,” Jones said.

Clinic founder Jerry Henderson projects 10,000 dogs and cats will undergo surgery at the clinic annually — 7,500 the first year, preventing the births of about 45,000 stray animals.

“The impact of the new clinic is expected to significantly reduce the number of stray and abandoned animals, thus reducing the number euthanized at local and area animal shelters,” Henderson said.

The clinic, constructed and equipped with private donations and serving a 75-mile radius of Thomasville, operates without government funding.

Surgery appointments may be made by calling the clinic at (229) 236-7297 or by going to the clinic website at www.sgaspayneuterclinic.org.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820.

Spay/neuter fees

• Cats — $60

• Dogs under 50 pounds — $75

• Dogs 50 to 75 pounds — $85

• Dogs 75 to 90 pounds — $95

• Dogs more than 90 pounds — $110

• Rabies vaccination (if required) — $10