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The time to get your pet spayed or neutered is right now, and it could be for free.

The largest no-kill animal rescue in North Carolina has developed a chapter in McDowell County to help bring positive change to the community, a news release from the organization said

And the group is concerned that McDowell County is not taking advantage of s free spay/neuter program.

“There is a large pet-overpopulation crisis in this county, with an overwhelming number of lost, homeless, abandoned, and unwanted animals. In the past, roughly 90 percent of the animals who have ended up at our local shelter have been euthanized,” McDowell chapter manager Jamie Stillwachs said.

He said spaying or neutering pets is critically important to reducing the overpopulation and preventing unwanted animals from dying in shelters or on the streets. Increased dumping of unwanted puppies or kittens at the shelter or on someone else's property is becoming a real issue, Stillwachs said.