WAAG recognizes 4,000th spay/neuter in Williams

Several residents in Williams made a commitment 32 years ago to reduce the suffering of feral and abandoned animals in Williams.

This group of residents formed the Williams Animal Action Group (WAAG) which recently reached the milestone of having its 4,000 animal go through the spay and neuter program.

“The Williams Alliance Action Group congratulates Sylvester for being the 4,000th pet,” said WAAG organizer Kali Kaliche.

Sylvester is owned by Danielle Martinez, who has had several other animals go through the spay and neuter program with WAAG.

“WAAG’s success is based on over three decades of steady, transparent and honest efforts by our volunteers,” Kaliche said.

She credits the generosity of those who volunteer as well as those with give monetarily for the success of the program.

According to Kaliche, the group formed in 1986 after the members were fed up with regularly seeing stray dogs and cats dying on the streets in Williams.

“The rodeo grounds were a dumping site for cats and the area was infested with respiratory viruses that killed them,” Kaliche said.

Kaliche said it was also common to see dead dogs from the downtown streets.

“One year we lost 40 dogs to the Parvo virus in just a two week period,” she said. “It was hard to watch.”

She said at the time there was the no veterinarian in town and it was financially difficult for some residents to take their animals to Flagstaff for surgeries and vaccinations.

Through donations and connections with regional supporters, the group steadily works at educating Williams residents about the need to spay and neuter their pets. They provide the service at a low cost for pets and for any strays that are captured.

The group also hosts a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic in town.

She said the town has made some positive changes towards animal care since the group formed, including the creation of a city animal control officer position, an increase in regional groups to help subsidize low-cost spays and neuters and a decrease in animals from Williams being euthanized by Coconino Humane Society.

Kaliche is grateful for any monetary donations or anyone interested in donating aluminum cans.

More information about WAAG or to have an animal spay or neutered is available from Kaliche at (928) 635-2595.