Spay-ghetti No Meatballs Dinner benefits Wally's Friends

Sunday, January 1, 1905

photo Twelve puppies - six male and six female - were delivered to Wally's Friends one Friday for surgery. All were altered and placed in forever homes.

IF YOU GOWhat: Spay-ghetti No Meatballs Dinner & Silent AuctionWhen: 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26Where: Stratton Hall, 3146 Broad St.Admission: $35Phone: 423-877-9966Website: www.wallysfriends.comTICKET OUTLETS• Red Bank/Northshore: Wally's Friends Clinic, 155 Unaka St.; The Ark, 1100 Dayton Blvd.; Cat Clinic of Chattanooga, 310 Cherokee Blvd.; Bone Appetit, 103 Frazier Ave.• Hixson: Alder & Cox, 2110 Northpoint Blvd.; Pet Care Warehouse, 2105 Northpoint Blvd.• Brainerd: The Ark, 7760 Brainerd Road.

Don't let the witty wordplay fool you. The Spay-ghetti No Meatballs Dinner, a benefit for Wally's Friends scheduled Tuesday, Feb. 26, has a serious purpose.

The fundraiser, which also includes a silent auction, is part of the local effort to end pet overpopulation. It is being held on World Spay Day.

Wally's Friends has altered more than 64,000 animals, honing its focus on 14 rural counties where the most animals are entering shelters. The standalone clinic offers the lowest fees possible to accommodate pets whose guardians would otherwise be unable to afford such care for their animals.

In 2012, according to the organization, free spay/neuter services were provided to 12,226 animals, including entire litters of dogs and cats, before they were adopted. The organization also provides free spay/neuter services to free-roaming cats.

"This year," organizers said in a news release, "we will work diligently to reach more people than ever to make spay/neuter mainstream thinking."

The Spay-ghetti No Meatballs Dinner will feature a meal prepared on-site by Carrabba's Italian Grill, compliments of proprietor Miguel Morales. The Acropolis Grill is supplying desserts, and beverages will include beer, wine and a coffee bar.