In an effort to prevent pet overpopulation and improve animal health, the School of Veterinary Medicine plans to provide 300 low-cost spay and neuter procedures for dogs and cats from Yolo, Sacramento and Placer counties on Feb. 27 as part of the Sacramento Spay Day.

Volunteers from the campus community are being sought to lend a hand for the event, which is part of a massive volunteer effort coordinated by the Sacramento Area Animal Coalition to spay and neuter 1,400 animals in the Sacramento region through the Spay Day project. UC Davis will provide about one-fourth of the procedures actually carried out on Spay Day.

The low-cost procedures are available for dogs and cats from households with annual incomes of less than $35,000. Owners will be charged $15 per cat and $20 per dog. In return, each animal will receive services valued at $300, including the surgical procedure, a physical exam and basic blood work, any needed vaccinations, a microchip for identification, and tests for heartworm and several other diseases.

Veterinarians will perform the actual procedures, and veterinary students will serve as dedicated "guardians," accompanying the animals during the exam, surgery, recovery and discharge.

Non-veterinary staff, faculty and students are being recruited to fill other volunteer positions, ranging from client registration and animal discharge to general assistance and technical support, according to Sophie Grundy, a veterinarian and graduate student researcher in the veterinary school. Grundy is part of the team coordinating UC Davis' part in Spay Day, along with Professor Janet Ilkiw and Chris Brandt, a veterinarian and instructional media development specialist in the vet school.

Anyone interested in volunteering during Spay Day can find more information or register to volunteer online at http://vetpda.ucdavis.edu/spayday/default.cfm. Volunteers will be asked to work six-to-seven-hour shifts either Saturday afternoon during setup, Sunday morning or Sunday afternoon. Those who register to volunteer will be contacted to determine which volunteer assignment is most suitable for them, Grundy said.

General orientation meetings for volunteers will be held during the third and fourth weeks of February.

Those who are not able to volunteer their time are welcome to participate in Spay Day by donating old bath towels, which will be used for bedding for animals following their surgeries. After Spay Day, the towels will be laundered and either donated to area animal shelters or saved for next year's Spay Day. Offers of towel donations may be sent to Grundy at sagrundy@ucdavis.edu.

"There are so many dedicated people working on Spay Day; it's a huge community effort," said Grundy, noting that more than 400 volunteers from campus will participate in the event.

To appreciate the magnitude of the undertaking, consider that the vet school will make available 31 surgical tables in its Veterinary Medicine Laboratory Facility and 131 overnight kennels. And it will provide 120 large pizzas, 600 donuts and countless gallons of coffee to keep its volunteer staff well fueled throughout the event.

Grundy stresses that spaying and neutering pets is vitally important in preventing overpopulation and abandonment of cats and dogs. Furthermore, the procedures simplify pet care and help protect the animals, particularly females, against future health problems.

More information and registration are available online for interested pet owners at http://vetpda.ucdavis.edu/spayday/ClientInfo.cfm. Appointments may be scheduled by calling (916) 808-SPAY.