Judy Pearson CONTRIBUTING WRITER info@A2ndAct.org “We provide high-quality spay and neutering for 75 percent less than vets,” Della Maddalena said. “Our service includes an exam, the surgery and pain control after surgery. We also chip and vaccinate the animals. It’s easy to see why we did over 18,000 surgeries last year. Traditional veterinarians would charge $500 for these services for a Rottweiler. We charge owners just $95.” What’s more, Della Maddalena said, “We offer financial assistance to those who can’t afford the surgeries. We don’t want price to be a barrier.” One of her favorite Altered Tails “tales” involves a little dog called Scrappy. His owner saved him from the middle of the road and was going to just foster him until a good home could be found. But soon it was Scrappy saving his owner. She was a survivor of domestic violence, and he became her emotional therapy dog. Because of generous donations, Altered Tails was able to cover Scrappy’s surgery costs, just as they do for hundreds of other dogs and cats each year. “Our work has resulted in Maricopa County shelter intakes going down by 45 percent and euthanasias going down by 86 percent,” Della Maddalena said. Her love of animals has helped her heal as well. And it’s certainly made for lots of wagging tails. To learn more, visit alteredtails.org . A 2ND ACT CONTINUED 46 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | DECEMBER 2018