In honor of World Spay Day 2017, The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is offering spay or neuter surgeries and microchips for Santa Cruz County resident Chihuahuas, Pit Bulls and cats over the age of 8 weeks. Registration and scheduling for the surgeries and microchips will be available Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the SCCAS and FOWAS (Friends of Watsonville Animal Shelter) Planned Pethood South clinic, 150A Pennsylvania Drive in Watsonville. Animal owners should not bring their animals to register and must bring proof of residence in Santa Cruz County. Registrations will be taken on a first come, first served basis, and there is a limit of two animals per residence. The goals are to help reduce our homeless animal population and help residents comply with current animal ownership laws. County law requires that dogs and cats over the age of six months that reside in Santa Cruz County must be spayed or neutered. All surgeries are performed by a licensed veterinarian with a professional focus on spay/neuter procedures. Surgeries include a preoperative exam by a veterinarian, pain medication and dissolvable sutures. To receive the free spay or neuter surgery and microchip, SCCAS provides and requires a rabies vaccination (if not current), a dog license (if not current), and a blood panel test if a dog is 7 years old or older and if a cat is 9 years old or older. SCCAS offers these services at a low cost: Rabies vaccination (dogs and cats over three months of age) $10 License for altered dog $29 Blood Panel Test (for dogs 7 years old and over and cats 9 years old an over) $55 “SCCAS receives a high percentage of Chihuahuas, Pit Bulls and cats,” says Melanie Sobel, SCCAS general manager. “This targeted spay/neuter and microchip initiative will help end unwanted births, increase the number of animals returned to their owners and save taxpayers’ The first 50 appointments are free!