You have an ex and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Sure, you could buy yourself a “World’s Worst Ex” shirt or mug with black roses, a cracked heart, and his or her photo on it. If you don’t burn or smash it, odds are it’ll sit around your house collecting dust until you finally throw it away.

Or you could do something that’s both funny and useful for the small business community, and get a unique keepsake.

In honor of February being Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, the Alabama Animal Alliance Spay/Neuter Clinic in Montgomery, Ala. has a fundraiser campaign: “Neuter Your Ex: Because Some Things Should Never Breed.”

“It’s the second year we’ve done it,” said Rachel Tears, AAASNC’s founder and director.

No, this isn’t an event you can use to get a personal cat fixed. Tears said it’s a fundraiser for the clinic, with tax-deductible donations of $25 requested. If you want to donate more, they’d be grateful.

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“For anything that’s donated, there can’t be goods or services that are given in response,” she said. “But individuals who make a donation, much like anyone who make a donation to our clinic, receive an acknowledgement card.”

The card the clinic sends will say that a procedure was done in honor of your ex, whoever that may be. Your ex doesn’t have to be an ex-romantic person.

“It could be an ex-hairdresser who left you with a bad haircut. It could be an ex-boss,” Tears said.

In fact, it doesn’t have to be someone you know personally at all.

“We’ve even had requests to neuter some elected officials,” Tears said. “Elon Musk has been a request. Someone has requested that we neuter a cat in honor of (Sean "P Diddy" Combs, the rapper). It’s been very comical, and it’s raised a lot of awareness.”

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You can also donate on behalf of a friend.

“We will send a Happy Valentine’s Day card to your friend saying that a cat was neutered in honor of your recent heartbreak,” Tears said.

The clinic is hoping to raise $5,000. Tears said the funds will go toward clinic procedures for cats and dogs, male and female.

“Those funds go to our clinic to help keep costs affordable, so more individuals can have their pets spayed or neutered,” Tears said.

Similar fundraisers are being used at spay and neuter clinics across the nation, Tears said.

Normally, it’s $50 to neuter a male cat, and $70 for a female cat. The costs includes surgery, anesthesia, pain medications, antibiotic and a follow-up visit. If your cat isn’t current on its rabies vaccination, AAASNC can provide that for $15.

“We already have individuals who have appointments, and those cats are already scheduled to be neutered,” said Tears.

However, Tears said most pet owners the clinic deals with are Medicaid or food stamp recipients who are having pets fixed for $10. The donations are especially helpful to keep providing care for low-income pet owners, Tears said,

“We are going on our 18th year of surgeries, and we’ve done more than 130,000 surgeries,” she said. “We know that this works. We’ve got less animals being handed over to the shelters. Less animals being euthanized.”

There’s a reason male cats are the focus of this fundraiser. The goal is to put an end to pet homelessness and unnecessary euthanasia, Tears said.

“Male cats are the most efficient reproducers,” Tears said. “They can reproduce multiple times a day, day in and day out. Yet, that surgery is the least demanded surgery for our clinic. Most people are focusing on having their females fixed or their male dogs, long before they think about male cats.”

Call 334-239-7387 or visit alabamaspayneuter.com for more information.

“Anyone who wants to have their pet fixed is welcome to make an appointment,” Tears said. “Appointments can be made on our website or by calling the clinic.”

More Valentine’s Day love for pets

The AAASNC is not alone in offering Valentine’s Day-themed pet events. Don't live in Alabama? Contact these organizations below to gift a donation remotely:

• Montgomery: Puppy Love — The Montgomery Humane Society is offering an adoption special of $75 off puppies under six months old. Adoption fees include spay/neuter, microchip, vaccines and health exam. Learn more: 334-409-0622, montgomeryhumane.com
• Gadsden: Adopt Your Valentine — Humane Society Pet Rescue & Adoption Center is holding an adoption event through Feb. 15. $50 adoption fees. Spay/neuters, vaccines and microchips included. More info: 256-442-1347, hsprac.com
• Columbiana: 5th annual Cup of Love — Shelby Humane — Presented by Best Friends of Shelby Humane, on Feb. 14 all the dogs will get a home baked cookie with whipped cream and the cats will get a cup of Churu. If you would like to support this event, $5 treats one shelter pet and $10 treats three. They are also having a Valentine's Day adoption special, with adult dogs and cats for $14, and puppies and kittens 50% off. Learn more: 205-669-3916, shelbyhumane.org

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at [email protected].