Best Friends of Baker Inc. is a nonprofit that rescues cats and dogs and also has a campaign to reduce the number of feral cats through spaying and neutering.

Best Friends of Baker, the local nonprofit animal rescue organization, is offering a comical opportunity as a fundraiser for Valentine’s Day.

“Neuter Your Ex” is an idea that’s been growing in popularity with rescue groups nationwide, said Megan Kendall, a volunteer with Best Friends of Baker.

The basic idea is that people who make a $35 tax-deductible donation to help neuter or spay a feral cat can name the animal for an ex-partner.

“This is the first year we’ve done it. We’ve already received a number of entries,” Kendall said.

Although Best Friends isn’t sharing the cats’ new names, she said that as of late last week, all the donors had requested male names.

“Come on, guys, we need some inspiration for the nameless female ferals,” Kendall said.

Although the program is scheduled to coincide with Valentine’s Day, Best Friends won’t turn away late entries.

Kendall said all of the donations will go toward neutering or spaying.

Those who want to participate can visit https://shorturl.at/yFST8. This will take people to an application for the program.

People can donate any time with a memo specifying spay/neuter on a check or digital transaction.

Although $35 is the suggested donation, that amount doesn’t cover the full cost of the procedure.

Farrell Riley-Hassmiller, the Cat Program leader

for Best Friends, said the procedures run from $60 to $200, depending on the animal.

“We do have to travel outside of Baker County to get lower costs,” she said. “We utilize a Union County vet office for most of our feral cat procedures.”

She said Best Friends, as a nonprofit, volunteer-run rescue organization, receives a discounted rate for the procedures.

“A neuter in Baker City will cost $130 and $190 for a spay,” Riley-Hassmiller said. “With these costs, you can see why our vouchers are so needed, as near 60% of our county residents live at poverty level.”

Donations can be delivered to Best Friends of Baker’s office at 2950 Church St., near the railroad tracks, on Friday and Saturday mornings.

They can also be mailed to PO Box 183, Baker City, OR 97814. PayPal payments go to BestFriendsOfBaker.org.

People can also donate directly through the Best Friends of Baker, Inc. Facebook page.

Riley-Hassmiller said that although she would appreciate financial support from Baker City, she doesn’t expect that given the city’s budget challenges.

The city does contribute $2,500 annually to New Hope For Eastern Animals, another nonprofit that traps feral cats and helps with spaying and neutering through the Mollie Atwater Spay and Neuter Fund.

Much of the recent feral cat trapping has been done in areas outside Baker City, particularly the Eagle and Pine valleys in the eastern part of the county, Riley-Hassmiller said.