Cornell University: Veterinary students lead World Spay Day event for local cats

Students in the College of Veterinary Medicine provided spay-neuter and wellness services for a total of 50 cats from underserved communities in the greater Ithaca area to mark World Spay Day Feb. 12. This was Cornell’s third year participating in the worldwide event.

“It was wonderful to be part of a team that could help cats and people in our community who may have trouble finding these services otherwise,” said Makayla Watros, D.V.M. ’23, one of the students who organized the event.

Spay-neuter surgeries help reduce overpopulation among cats, while wellness services, like vaccines and flea medication, generally increase an animal’s quality of life. Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell worked with other veterinary volunteers to oversee the event and guide students. Including the seven organizers, 14 students performed anesthesia, 10 did surgeries, eight volunteered to receive the patients and another eight helped the cats recover afterward.