Georgia’s budget-slashing governor, Sonny Perdue, is preparing to unsheathe his knife once again, but this time it is a pooch and not a program that will feel the loss.
Perdue, a licensed veterinarian, has agreed to personally neuter a 9-month-old Rottweiler-Labrador retriever mix at an Atlanta animal clinic Thursday, the Atlanta Human Society said Monday.
The society invited the Republican governor to perform the 30-minute procedure to highlight responsible pet ownership. The dog, named Nelson, will be offered for adoption afterward.
“We want to draw attention to the need for spays and neuters in our state,” said Sherry Greenblatt, a spokeswoman for the society, which is marking its 132nd anniversary. Between 3 million and 4 million unwanted cats and dogs are euthanized every year in the United States.