Partnering with national leader United Spay Alliance to strengthen veterinary skills and expand community spay/neuter capacity

Duluth, Georgia (December 9, 2025) — Planned PEThood of Georgia is taking a proactive step to support its veterinary team by hosting a specialized hands-on surgical training focused on safe, efficient spay/neuter techniques for canine patients. In partnership with United Spay Alliance, on Saturday, December 13, the organization will provide two of its veterinarians with dedicated instruction from expert high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) surgeons—ensuring they have every tool needed to deliver exceptional care to dogs across Georgia. 

While Planned PEThood already delivers high-quality, accessible spay/neuter services, this training reflects the organization’s dedication to continuous learning and professional development. Spay procedures on dogs can be complex, as dogs come in a wide variety of shapes, weights, and sizes – adding natural variability. This training gives veterinarians the opportunity to refine techniques that support efficiency, patient safety, and surgical flow. By creating dedicated time for hands-on learning with experienced mentors, Planned PEThood is investing in its team in ways that directly benefit families, shelters, and rescue groups.

“Every opportunity for veterinarians to sharpen their skills is also an opportunity to increase community capacity,” said Brianna Lovell Myers, Executive Director of United Spay Alliance. “Planned PEThood’s dedication to strengthening their own team is exactly the kind of leadership that improves access to care for pets who need it most.”

The wet lab will be led by Dr. Emi Kooyman of Spay Neuter Vets in Alpharetta and Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Ellard, both highly experienced HQHVSN surgeons. Participating veterinarians will gain practical and repeatable experience with high-quality, high-volume surgical techniques proven to increase efficiency without compromising patient safety. Participants will also receive continuing education (CE) credit from the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) for their training. This training is made possible through the generous support of an anonymous donor committed to supporting sustainable, community-centered spay/neuter initiatives.

This training follows the recent success of multiple HQHVSN wet labs hosted in neighboring DeKalb County in collaboration with United Spay Alliance, DeKalb County Commissioner Michelle Long Spears, LifeLine Animal Project, the GVMA, and the GA Pet Coalition. Those sessions, also led by the same expert trainers, demonstrated a growing regional commitment to strengthening veterinary skills and expanding access to these essential services. With this continued investment, Georgia is quickly becoming a standout state in building sustainable, local solutions to animal overpopulation. 

What’s Next

United Spay Alliance continues its mission to expand access to affordable spay/neuter nationwide by bringing HQHVSN training opportunities to communities across the country. To learn more about upcoming trainings or explore hosting a wet lab in your area, visit unitedspayalliance.org/hqhvsn-wet-labs.

About Planned PETHood of Georgia

Planned PEThood is a nonprofit dedicated to keeping pets out of shelters and in loving homes. Unlike traditional animal rescues that step in after pets have suffered in shelters, Planned PEThood focuses on prevention—stopping animals from entering shelters in the first place. Through affordable veterinary care, community outreach, humane education, and proactive spay/neuter initiatives, it creates long-term solutions to pet homelessness and suffering across Georgia. Real rescue starts before the shelter. For more information, to donate, or to get involved, visit PEThoodGA.org. 

About United Spay Alliance

United Spay Alliance (USA) envisions a future where every cat and dog has the opportunity to thrive. We work to make this a reality by championing affordable, accessible, and timely spay/neuter services. Through proactive prevention, we aim to stop animal suffering before it begins. USA maintains a nationwide directory of low-cost spay/neuter services, fosters collaboration through the State Leader Network, and empowers veterinarians with programs like HQHVSN wet labs and Feline Fix by Five. In 2024, USA launched United We Spay, a monthly podcast sharing inspiring stories from the spay/neuter movement. Learn more at unitedspayalliance.org or follow @UnitedSpayAlliance on Facebook and Instagram.