CT Animal House and several local veterinarians are participating in World Spay Day month, an international campaign to promote the life-saving benefits of spay/neuter by creating a fund for reduced cost spay/neuter surgery for abandoned Connecticut dogs.

The groups are co-hosting a Spay it Forward local beer, wine, and silent auction fundraiser at the Blue Hound Taproom on Main Street in Ivoryton on Monday, March 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. The fundraiser will feature local craft beers at a cash bar, free appetizers, and an amazing silent auction. Local merchants have donated to the spay/neuter project, including the fundraiser hosts, Blue Hound Cookery and Taproom, Two Roads Brewery, Steady Habits, Outer Light Brewery, 30 Mile Brewery, Willimantic Brewery, Bishops Orchards, Essex Steam Train, Love the Dog, East River Oil, Asterisk, and Sweet Luna’s.

Tickets for the upcoming fundraiser cost $25 each and can be purchased online or at the door. All direct donations are tax deductible. All money raised will go toward the spay/neuter fund to be administered by Homeward Bound.

Local veterinary practices, including the Chester Veterinary Clinic and Shoreline Veterinary Hospital in Clinton have offered free or discounted surgeries through the World Spay Day program. Others, including Dr. Suzanne Magruder of Saybrook Veterinary Hospital and Dr. Virginia Nunes Olson of Pieper Memorial Veterinary Center in Essex have provided program administrators with free vouchers towards spay /neuter surgery. All services will be provided on a need based system and the project will continue until funds are depleted.

“Spay/neuter saves pets’ lives while lessening the burden on animal shelters and taxpayers,” said Chris Lamb, founder and president of CT Animal House. “We are happy to partner with Homeward Bound Adoption Events to create a fund dedicated to sponsoring or subsidizing Connecticut dogs in honor of World Spay Day 2016. Each time a dog or cat is spay/neutered, its chances at adoption increase, and the animal no longer contributes to the cycle of abandoned, neglected, or abused homelessness.”

Rescue groups and municipal pounds can apply for vouchers on the Homeward Bound website, or contact Homeward Bound by email at itsallaboutthedogs2014@gmail.com.

Homeward Bound President Sue Hotkowski stated, “We are overwhelmed by the support of our local veterinarians in our first ever effort to ‘spay it forward’—Connecticut is blessed to have such wonderful community support for helping its abandoned dogs.”

For more information, visit www.ctanimalhouse.org and http://homewardboundadoptionevents.jimdo.com.