EUCLID, Ohio — Ask any pet owner, and they'll probably tell you, the unconditional love their furry friend provides is priceless.
But the reality is that properly caring for dogs and cats can be quite costly.
A Euclid non-profit is making Cleveland a better land by easing the financial burden pet owners are dealing with while helping to control the pet population.
At the start of each day, like clockwork, dozens of dogs and cats show up in a parking lot off East 222nd Street.
Latifah Yarbrough's Shih Tzu, Kato, was among the animals arriving at PetFix Northeast Ohio to be spayed or neutered.
“We should have gotten him done a lot sooner because it can cause him some health problems and health issues," said Yarbrough.
The non-profit clinic offers the procedures at a fraction of the cost typically found at the vet's office.
"At the vet, you are paying $300, $400, $500, $600 probably at least," said Christie Lucco, PetFix Northeast Ohio.
At PetFix, a large female dog will set an owner back $105.
A male cat costs $45.
"We keep our prices low by getting donations from people in the community and foundation grants," said Lucco.
Lucco, who founded PetFix said their prices may be low, but the quality of the care is high.
"Our vets, that's all they do, so they're like specialists in the field," said Lucco.
In addition to helping individual pet owners, rescue organizations and shelters can also tap into the discounted procedures so they can adopt out their pets.
"Our demand for services is off the charts," said Lucco.
PetFix Northeast Ohio just celebrated its 100,000 surgery.
"We don't really need to advertise our services, people just come through word of mouth," said Lucco.
That word of mouth is solidifying the non-profit as a leader in preventing overpopulation.
"People in the community, they need low-cost spay/neuter," said Lucco.
The impact here goes beyond just the dollars and cents of caring for a pet.
"We believe we can proactively prevent pet homelessness by making spay/neuter affordable and accessible. We're talking half a million animals that we could have potentially prevented from becoming homeless," said Lucco.
This story is part of A Better Land, an ongoing series that investigates Northeast Ohio's deep-seated systemic problems. Additionally, it puts a spotlight on the community heroes fighting for positive change in Cleveland and throughout the region. If you have an idea for A Better Land story, tell us here.
