Mailman's Mutts asks Gadsden council for support for low-cost spay/neuter sales

Representatives of Mailman's Mutts addressed the Gadsden City Council to describe a community-funded low-cost spay/neuter ticket sale and to request the council's assistance in publicizing future sales and considering financial support.

Arlene Myers, representing Mailman's Mutts, said the rescue paid for tickets that allowed low-cost procedures and reported that in the most recent sale they purchased 165 tickets and sold most of them. Myers said the group aims to run three sales this year and eventually quarterly sales; the next sale was announced as “Saturday, May” (specific date not specified in the meeting record).

Myers said an anonymous donor offered to match $1,000 for each council member if the council members themselves would donate $1,000 each; she asked the council to consider that challenge. Council President Beck clarified a procedural point: if the council makes a contribution it would come from the Gadsden city council's funds as a single council contribution (taxpayer funds), not as individual personal donations. He asked that any formal funding request be submitted in writing to the city clerk so it can be routed to the council for consideration.

Council members expressed support for the group's work and said the city's public affairs office or individual council members could help publicize upcoming sales on social media. The transcript records no formal council appropriation or commitment of city funds at the meeting; follow-up in writing was requested by the clerk for any formal funding consideration.

Mailman's Mutts also provided a breakdown of ticket sales by district and requested the council's assistance in promoting future sales to districts with higher need, notably Districts 5 and 7, according to the presenter.