Free Spay and Neuter Services for Dogs and Cats

2020 was quite a year. Mostly marked in terrible ways as the pandemic created a global health crisis and changed the ways we live.

But there was at least one silver lining: Americans adopted or fostered shelter animals in record numbers. Because so many people worked from home they felt they had the time to devote to a new pet or to caring for an animal temporarily.

Adopting a new pet — especially a shelter animal — is a caring decision. It’s also a financial decision because the cost of initial medical services for a dog or cat can add up quickly.

One of the most expensive initial procedures your pet will need is getting either spayed or neutered. Luckily, money doesn’t always have to be a huge obstacle when it comes to getting that early veterinary care. If you know where to look, there are a myriad of free or low-cost spay/neuter programs across the country.

Should My Pet be Spayed or Neutered?

Yes! Spaying or neutering your pet reduces the overall pet population. This helps reduce the ever-present pet homelessness problem in the United States.

While the uptick in fostering and adopting shelter animals over the past year is an exciting trend, that doesn’t alone solve the pet overpopulation problem.

In 2020, puppy mills also kicked into hyperdrive, increasing pet overpopulation and negating some of the progress made in the fight against pet homelessness. Overpopulation continues to be a problem that can be directly addressed by getting your pets spayed or neutered.

Doing so can also provide your pet with health benefits. Spaying female cats or dogs can help them avoid uterine infections and breast cancer, while neutering male cats or dogs can reduce their chances of getting testicular cancer.

There are few cases where spaying or neutering is not the best decision for pets. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, you should always spay or neuter your cats. But there are certain breeds of dogs that can suffer adverse health effects if they are spayed or neutered depending on their gender or age. If you have a dog, err on the side of spaying or neutering. But also consult with your veterinarian.

Do I Qualify for Free Spay and Neuter Services?

Here’s the thing about being a pet parent: It can get expensive fast.

Luckily, there are plenty of free spay/neuter programs across the country. Some programs will qualify you based on where you live. Others will have an added income requirement. Whether or not you qualify for free spay and neuter services depends on the individual program.

If you don’t qualify for a free program, you’re likely to be able to find discount spay/neuter services in your area

How to Find Free Spay/Neuter Programs

Free spay/neuter programs tend to be run by local government agencies. Look for these programs at the state, county and local levels.

Because spay/neuter programs are so hyperlocal, they’re as varied as kaleidoscopes. Some programs will come along with income requirements. Some won’t. In some states, the spay/neuter services in and of themselves will be free, but you’ll still owe some type of fee to the vet or animal shelter in administrative fees. In others, you’ll walk away without spending a penny to spay or neuter your pet.

The following list is a variety of programs though not an exhaustive list. Search your own state, county and local services to find what is offered close to you. You might be surprised at what’s available to you.

State-Level Spay and Neuter Programs

Many states run a free spay/neuter program. It may operate directly through a state agency or through a state-designated community organization.

For example, The Oklahoma state Legislature has a fund set aside specifically for its Pet Overpopulation Program. You won’t interface with the state of Oklahoma, though. Instead, you’ll apply through the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA).

This particular spay/neuter program does have income restrictions. Specifically, for Oklahoma’s state program you must already be on one of these income-based programs in order to qualify:

• Medicaid
• SNAP/food stamps
• Social Security benefits

Your state program may or may not be limited to low-income households. Oklahoma is an example, but not necessarily the rule.

County-Level Spay and Neuter Programs

In some states, you’ll find free spay/neuter programs at the county level. In North Carolina, state funding is commonly distributed in this way.

The Spay/Neuter Assistance Program in North Carolina is administered through county animal shelters. For example, in the first three quarters of 2020, this program funded 233 spay or neutering procedures in Richmond County alone.

However, the North Carolina program only covers the direct medical cost for low-income residents. If the shelter charges an administrative fee, you could still end up spending some money. The fee you pay is likely to pale in comparison to the cost of the actual spay/neuter procedure, though.

In our Richmond County example, the county animal shelter charges a $49 fee even if you qualify for the program due to a low income. Presumably, this covers administrative costs, and the fact that the state doesn’t always pay the shelters back for 100% of every surgery.

City-Level Spay and Neuter Programs

If you’ve already looked at the state and county level, now it’s time to search for a free spay or neuter program through your city, town or municipality.

So far, we’ve seen programs with fairly strict income requirements. If we look to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, though, we’ll find an example of a spay/neuter program that is open to all residents even if you’re not a low-income household.

All you need to do to qualify for Pittsburgh’s free spay/neuter program is live within city limits. There are additional licensing and vaccination requirements for dogs, but you will not be asked for your income for eligibility purposes.

How to Find Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Services

If your income prevents you from qualifying for your state’s, county’s or city’s free spay or neuter program, look to other low-cost spay/neuter surgery providers in your area. These providers often work in tandem with an animal-focused nonprofit, which provides funding for these low-cost spay/neuter services.

You may also want to look to low-cost spay/neuter services if you live in a state like North Carolina where you’re still going to pay some fees even with the “free” program. In a minority of cases, the fees required by the nonprofit program may cost less than the fees charged by the program sponsored by the local government.

ASPCA

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) hosts low-cost spay/neuter services in a handful of cities across the country. These services can be performed at a traditional spay/neuter clinic, but in some cities they are also available via a mobile, low-cost spay/neuter truck that visits neighborhoods on a rotating basis.

Currently the ASPCA offers low-cost spay/neuter services in:

You must schedule your appointment ahead of time even for the mobile spay/neuter clinic.

PetSmart Charities

The ASPCA has also teamed up with PetSmart Charities to create a registry of low-cost spay/neuter clinics across the United States, covering an area far more vast than the three cities where the ASPCA runs low-cost spay/neuter clinics.

PetSmart Charities makes donations to each low-cost clinic, allowing them to continue their work in communities across the country.

North Shore Animal League America

North Shore Animal League America runs a nationwide referral service for low-cost spay/neuter services called SpayUSA. For most of the listings, you need to obtain a referral from SpayUSA by entering basic household information. Some of these low-cost spay/neuter programs are only available to low-income households on programs like Medicaid, SNAP and Social Security.

Friends of Animals

Friends of Animals works with veterinarians across the nation to bring low-cost spay/neuter services to American pet owners. First, you’ll need to pay a fee for a spay/neuter certificate from Friends of Animals. These certificates cost:

• $61 to neuter a male cat
• $74 to neuter a male dog
• $85 to spay a female cat
• $110 to spay a female dog

While they do work with veterinarians across the country, you’ll want to make sure one of them operates in your community before purchasing a certificate. You can find the closest veterinary clinic that accepts these certificates for spay/neuter services by using the Friends of Animals search tool.

After you have your certificate and have identified associated vet clinics in your community, you can call the clinic directly to schedule an appointment.

Alley Cat Allies

Maybe you don’t have pet cats to worry about, but you do have quite a few neighborhood cats. Alley Cat Allies runs a program called Feral Friends that works to spay and neuter feral cats through trap and release measures. You can request a specialist reach out to you here.

You can also look to other local cat rescue groups for similar spay or neuter services

Ask Shelter to Help Find Low-Cost Clinic

You know who’s going to know your local low-cost spay/neuter clinics really well?

The local animal shelter.

Before you take your pet home, ask the shelter if they know of any local free or low-cost spay/neuter programs. This often comes up naturally, as most of the time you’re going to have to promise to spay or neuter your new pet as a part of the adoption process.

What Else Is Involved at Spay/Neuter Clinics?

Depending on state and local laws, there are other expenses involved with adopting a pet. Even if you don’t pay anything to spay/neuter your pet cat or dog, you may end up incurring fees for these often mandatory services:

• Rabies vaccination
• Other immunizations
• Licensing for dogs in certain cities and municipalities

If these upfront costs are preventing you from adopting your next furry family member, talk to the animal shelter. While not as prolific as free spay/neuter programs, you may be able to find ways to get financial assistance locally for these services, especially if you are from a low-income household.

And if this help exists locally, your animal shelter should know about it.

Brynne Conroy is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.

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