Holters donate $2,500 to Great River Rescue spay-neuter clinic

Cindy and Terry Holter’s $2,500 sponsorship gift is helping keep Great River Rescue’s Pet Fixers clinic affordable for Beltrami County pet owners who need low-cost spay and neuter care. At a program that typically alters 60 to 80 animals during each monthly clinic, that kind of donation can stretch far beyond a single check.

Pet Fixers is aimed at qualified low-income pet owners and caretakers, and Great River Rescue says it holds clinics once a month from April through November at its Bemidji shelter, 1612 Carr Lake Road SE. The program includes preventative care treatments, and the shelter says it relies on volunteer labor and partner veterinarians who work at reduced rates to make the service possible.

The money does not just cover surgery. Great River Rescue says donor support helps pay for practical costs such as medical supplies, lodging, pay for the veterinary team and meals for staff. That back-end spending is what keeps the clinic within reach for families that would otherwise struggle with veterinary bills, and it is what helps prevent unwanted litters before they add more pressure to already busy shelters.

Great River Rescue’s own numbers show why the program matters. In 2023, the nonprofit spayed and neutered 733 animals through Pet Fixers, while taking in and caring for 295 cats and dogs, completing 295 adoptions and recording 2 reclaims. The shelter, established in 1977 as the Beltrami Humane Society, acquired Pet Fixers in 2020 to expand spay-neuter and basic wellness services for pets in the region.

The Holters’ gift lands in a program that is already central to how Great River Rescue serves Bemidji and surrounding communities. Limited registration and proof of eligibility show that the clinic is still managing demand rather than simply opening the doors to anyone who asks, and the need for ongoing sponsorships points to continued funding pressure behind the scenes. For a relatively modest donation, the payoff is concrete: fewer accidental litters, less strain on local shelter capacity and more families able to keep their pets healthy and at home.