It was time for six-month-old Lucky the Jackshund to be neutered so his owner decided to take advantage of a unique service offered on Cedar Creek Lake by a nonprofit organization run by volunteers.

Instead of taking Lucky to the trusted veterinarian who had provided all of his other medical services up to that point, his owner decided to check out Friends of the Animals. It seemed like a good way to see up close how the organization operates.

It all turned out swell, as you can see from the pictures posted below. Lucky is pictured in the protective collar the clinic sent him home in to prevent him from injuring the surgical incision area.

His companion, Mickey the Schnauzer, was glad to welcome him home after searching the house and yard for him all day.

Lucky and Mickey are fortunate because they have a good home.

One of Cedar Creek Lake's biggest problems is an enormous population of homeless or otherwise neglected animals, and Friends of the Animals' volunteers are working tirelessly to ease the crisis.

Every Tuesday Friends of the Animals' clinic in Gun Barrel City provides low-cost spay and neutering services for the pets of Cedar Creek Lake residents, many of whom otherwise would find neutering costs unaffordable. The clinic is one of the busiest spots on the lake on Tuesdays, but the animal lovers who make up the volunteer staff give all of the pets entering the premises lots of love.

Dog and cat owners begin arriving early in the morning -- before 8 a.m. -- for scheduled spaying and neutering appointments. Then from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the volunteer staff begins accepting walk-ins for low-cost vaccinations, heartworm testing and microchipping.

About two dozen volunteers work at the clinic reguarly every Tuesday, weighing animals, taking temperatures, giving vaccinations, administering anesthesia and preparing surgery packs. They also walk dogs, clean cages, do laundry, gather supplies and do administrative work.

Community support helps keep the doors of Friends of the Animals open. It could not operate without volunteers, donations, fundraisers and grants. In addition to medical services, Friends of the Animals helps find permanent and foster homes for animals needing homes and love.

The spay and neuter operations are conducted by Dr. Glen Campbell of Garland, who takes off every Tuesday from his practice there to do the surgeries on Cedar Creek Lake. D Magazine named Campbell, who is a graduate of Texas A&M and LSU Veterinary School, as one of the "Best Veterinarians in Dallas."

The clinic's director is Sydney Busch, who was a volunteer at the SPCA of Texas in Dallas for two decades. She and her husband, Ed Busch, who formerly served as president of the Dallas SPCA Board of Directors, founded Friends of the Animals in 2002 when they moved to Cedar Creek Lake and saw the enormous need.

For information about Friends of the Animals services, volunteering or donating, visit www.friendsoftheanimals.org or call 903-887-PETS (7387).