WEST KENNEBUNK — Each spring, “kitten season” brings hundreds of unwanted and homeless kittens to animal shelters across Maine and the US. To help mitigate the impact, shelters avidly promote the benefits of spaying and neutering companion pets. In doing so, the Animal Welfare Society, or AWS, is partnering once again with the Shelter Spay/Neuter Clinic to honor World Spay Day 2015. World Spay Day is an internationally-recognized event traditionally held on the last Tuesday of February. The event highlights spay/neuter as a way to prevent homeless animals because of overpopulation.

Locally, World Spay Day will be honored for the entire month of February. The partnership of AWS and the clinic will offer further reduced fees on low-cost spay/neuter surgeries for cats belonging to low-income residents of York County. The partnership will provide a cat spay or neuter surgery, health exam and rabies vaccine for $7 for kittens between the ages of 3 and 6 months of age and for $12 for cats older than 6 months through February 28. As always, spay/neuter surgeries and rabies vaccines for feral cats are free at the Clinic.

The Shelter Spay/Neuter Clinic is located at AWS’ facility at 46 Holland Road in West Kennebunk and is open Tuesday through Thursday and every other Saturday. Pet owners can call 985-3244 to make an appointment and take advantage of the reduced rates.