HAMLET - Saturday night was about highlighting unwanted pregnancy, in this case, in the four-legged pet variety.
Richmond County Animal Advocates, or RCAA, held its second Spayghetti Dinner to raise funds to help spay and neuter dogs and cats in Richmond County. Hosted at the American Legion Post 49 in Hamlet, it was a fun night with good food, fellowship with other animal lovers, and donated prizes.
The spaghetti plates were delicious and, along with salad, garlic bread and dessert, made a full meal for those who attended. An assortment of raffle prizes was on display as well, with the drawings taking place at 9:00 p.m. following the serving of the last plate of spaghetti. Many local businesses contributed to the effort by generously donating the items for the gift baskets and the accoutrements that were needed to serve the meal. The night was capped off with the realization that more than $2,500 was raised and certainly made the weeks of effort it took to plan the event worthwhile.
In addition to raising money, the night was about education. On the tables was literature relating statistics such as “50% of litters are not planned” and “79% of people don’t know when to fix their pets.” The best time is by 4 months of age according to the pamphlet.
Allison Story, Director of RCAA, states there are a lot of misconceptions about why to spay/neuter pets, at what age and how the process affects the health of the animal. The RCAA helps to educate the public to mitigate their concerns about the spaying or neutering of their pet, which will hopefully lead to more pets having this procedure performed - before their pet has a litter of their own.
Founded in July, 2012, the RCAA has a mission: “To improve the lives of animals in Richmond County.” If you want to get further information about their spay/neuter program, they have a FaceBook page, or you can call (910) 420-3346. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 2652, Rockingham, NC 28380 if you would like to donate to their cause.
Editor's note: This article was contributed by Amy Guinn, a recent addition to the Richmond Observer's team of writers.
