A Hermitage spay/neuter clinic, offering low-to-no-cost pet surgeries, celebrated a milestone surgery on Friday.

Tails of Hope welcomed Charlie, a rescue cat from Sandy Lake, Pa., on Friday, who happened to be the appointment that landed on the 18,000th surgery. 

In a news release about the celebration, Charlie's owners, Sheila and David Clutter, shared how their cat came into their lives.

"We ride bicycles around Lake Wilhelm, and on September 11, when we started up the trail, we heard a screeching meow like a cat in distress. A skinny cat appeared. He followed us back to our vehicle and we took him home," David stated.

“It’s heartbreaking when someone dumps a sweet cat like this,” Sheila said. “We are so grateful for Tails of Hope for getting us in so quickly to vaccinate and test him so we could introduce him to our other cat, also an abandoned cat. Tails of Hope makes these essential veterinary services affordable to everyone.”

Charlie was only 3 pounds when they met, and today at Tails of Hope for his surgery appointment, he is now a healthy 9.6 pounds. The Clutters said Charlie is a good traveler and a great companion on their RV, calling him their “adventure cat”.

As the first non-profit spay/neuter clinic in Mercer County, Tails of Hope has served almost 40 counties across Western PA & Eastern Ohio since its doors opened in 2017. The programs at Tails of Hope offer spay/neuter, vaccinations, tests, microchips, and more.

Charlie's surgery on Friday cost the Clutters $18 in celebration of the 18,000th spay/neuter.

“Our work is about more than surgery,” Dr. Nicole Grable stated in the release. “Our programs offer prevention, compassion, and improve community health. Every one of the 18,000 surgeries we’ve performed means fewer unwanted litters, less strain on local shelters, and a better quality of life for countless generations of pets and their families.”

Tails of Hope is funded by its fundraising event, grants and private donations.