Pets Alive provides the compassionate solution to end the unnecessary euthanasia of cats and dogs by offering affordable, high-quality spay/neuter services.
Who We Are
Mission
Vision
To improve the health and well-being of cats and dogs by partnering with the animal welfare community to provide life-saving programs and compassionate solutions to pet overpopulation.
Services
Pets Alive is a nonprofit high-volume spay/neuter clinic. We perform dozens of spay/neuter surgeries daily and also run a Wellness Clinic that provides vaccines, flea/tick preventation, microchipping, and other basic veterinary care for healthy animals. Our services are available to all – no proof of residency or financial need required.
History
Founders Unite
In April 2002, one of Pets Alive’s founding members, Katrina Sturgeon, read a Bloomington Herald-Times article that stated almost 70% of all animals brought to the Bloomington Animal Shelter were euthanized. Sturgeon responded by writing a passionate letter to the editor, expressing her outrage and encouraging positive change. Karla Kamstra and Theresa Block responded to this call to action and reached out to Sturgeon. These three dedicated local women founded the first Pets Alive programs.
Adoption Programs Expand
In December 2002, Pets Alive launched the Adopt-A-Pet program, which took adoptable animals from the Bloomington Animal Shelter to off-site adoption events. The Puppy Train program launched in January 2003, which transported Bloomington animals to other states in need of more adoptable pets. Pets Alive also helped facilitate more adoptions at the Bloomington Animal Shelter by setting up an online adoption program on Petfinder.com.
Spay/Neuter Clinic Launches
However, no matter how many worthy animals were adopted through these programs there were still many more individuals being born. The board quickly realized the only permanent solution to the pet overpopulation problem–spay and neuter. Therefore, in January 2004, the Pets Alive board closed all the adoption programs to focus on a new mission with plans to open the area’s first spay/neuter clinic stating, “In order for a community to effectively address pet overpopulation, spay/neuter must be a priority. It’s the only way to decrease the number of animals entering a shelter.” Pets Alive became the first clinic in the Midwest to follow the nationally recognized Spay/Neuter Response Team model of the Humane Alliance clinic in Asheville, North Carolina. Pets Alive Nonprofit Spay/Neuter Clinic opened in March 2005.
Wellness Clinic Opens
When the spay/neuter clinic first opened, surgeries cost $45 for cats and $50 for dogs. Despite steadily increasing costs of surgical materials, Pets Alive still only charges a fraction of what it costs to perform these surgeries, making up the difference thanks to generous donors and grant funding. In 2010, Pets Alive expanded services to offer low-cost vaccinations, preventatives, nail trims, and more at our Wellness Clinic. Pets Alive does not offer full veterinary services and refers clients to a full-service veterinarian for regular care. The goal of our wellness program is to ensure all furry family members have access to basic health services.
New Location
In September 2011, the clinic moved to its current location at 2444 South Walnut Street in the (former) Lucky’s Market complex. Pets Alive has become a highly effective nonprofit organization in Bloomington, leading the community and surrounding counties towards an end to pet overpopulation once and for all.
