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Spay/Neuter Information and Resources
What is Spaying / Neutering?
Spaying is the surgical removal of the uterus and both ovaries. Neutering is the surgical removal of both testes. Both are painless procedures done under anesthesia. This is also called "altering" or "fixing" your pet.
A simple surgery can eliminate or greatly reduce health risks that could end your pet's life.
- Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancers, and reduces the likelihood of breast cancer & mammary tumors.
- Spaying eliminates heat periods. Not only are heat periods messy and bothersome, but dogs "in heat" may experience more behavior problems.
- Spaying eliminates the possibility of pregnancy or birthing complications, which can be expensive, difficult to treat, and can lead to death.
- Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and reduces the likelihood of prostate cancer, certain hernias, and tumors.
- Spaying or neutering does NOT make your pet fat or lazy-lack of exercise and poor diet can make your pet fat and lazy.
A simple surgery can eliminate or greatly reduce your pet's desire to wander.
- An unneutered male will sometimes go through invisible fences, jump over fences or even jump through windows to get to an in-heat female he smells up to 3 miles away.
- An unspayed female will also be more likely to wander.
- An unaltered pet increases the problem of strays wandering on your property. This wandering increases the chances of your pet getting lost, stolen, hit by a vehicle, or injured by other animals and killed.
A simple surgery can eliminate or greatly reduce some behavior problems.
- Neutering can eliminate territorial marking, including cats' spraying and dogs' marking everything in sight.
- Pregnant pets sometimes develop problems such as aggression, eliminating in the house, constant crying, and over protectiveness. For some, these behaviors never go away.
- Neutering reduces the embarrassing mounting behavior many dogs exhibit to other dogs, children and adults.
A simple surgery can make your family safer.
- Unneutered dogs are almost 3 times more likely to bite than neutered dogs.
- A pregnant pet, or new mother, can become very overprotective and territorial-even aggressive-and very dangerous for children to be near.
A simple surgery can save you money.
- License and impound fees in many counties are cheaper for spayed and neutered pets than unaltered pets.
- A spay surgery is cheaper than the care for a new mother and offspring.
- A neuter surgery is cheaper than the possible veterinary care your pet will require after he has been in a fight with another male.
- The increased possibility of health problems and injuries from wandering means there's a good chance you will be paying much more in veterinary care for unaltered pets.
- Since spayed/neutered pets are less likely to exhibit marking behavior, your furniture, carpet, and belongings will not be ruined by dog or cat urine.
So you think you don't want to alter your pet because you want to breed?
Consider the following:
- 7 dogs and cats are born every day for each person born in the United States.
- Your pet may be a carrier of a genetic disease. This means that although your pet appears healthy, he/she may pass on health problems to his/her offspring. Responsible breeders ensure the health of the next generation by having both potential parents undergo a series of genetic screenings, health tests, and certifications. Potential buyers will ask to see these certifications.
- An animal's physical traits are not the only things that are passed to the next generation, behavior traits are also hereditary. For example, if your pet is aggressive, nervous, has separation anxiety, and/or has been impossible to housebreak- his/her offspring will be the exact same way.
- Responsible breeding is time consuming, expensive (breeding will COST you money), and can be heartbreaking. Responsible breeders want to improve the breed, not just increase the number of them. Just some of the NECESSARY expenses include: genetic screening and health tests to be sure you are not condemning a whole litter of animals to a lifetime of health and/or behavior problems, feeding mom and her babies, vaccinating everyone, ear cropping and tail docking if necessary, and possible expenses from pregnancy complications.
- Responsible breeders are committed to the animals they bring into this world FOR LIFE. A responsible breeder will take back any animal which can not stay in his/her home. Responsible breeders would never let their pets end up in shelters or rescue organizations.
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Animal Outreach Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Animal Outreach Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to provide a low cost spay/neuter option for individuals and families who are currently receiving public assistance in central Ohio. Individuals interested in using the SNAP program must complete an application and submit proof of public assistance as well as the appropriate fees. SNAP is a voucher program that allows qualified individuals to have their pets altered at a designated veterinary clinic. Currently, all vet clinics are in the Columbus area.
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| Low Cost Spay/Neuter Resources |
Most people ask their regular veterinarian to spay or neuter their pets. If you have trouble affording the procedures, try these steps:
- Call your local animal shelter. It may operate a clinic or know of a local clinic that offers subsidized services. It may also offer vouchers to have your pet spayed or neutered at a lower cost by local cooperating private veterinarians. You can find the name and number of your local shelter in the Yellow Pages of your phone book under "animal shelter," "humane society," or "animal control," or by calling Information.
- Call SPAY USA. Spay USA is a national spay/neuter referral network that may be able to direct you to subsidized spay/neuter clinics in your area. Spay USA can be reached at 1-800-248-SPAY (1-800-248-7729).
- Call your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may be able to work out special financing options for you. Remember that, even if you pay full price for the procedures, spaying or neutering is a one-time cost with a lifetime of benefits. Spaying or neutering your pet not only helps curb pet overpopulation but also reduces your pet's risk of succumbing to many health problems. It remains one of the best bargains in animal health care.
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By The Humane Society of the United States
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STATEWIDE/NATIONAL
Franklin County (Columbus)
- M.A.S.H. (Mobile Animal Sterilization Hospital and Nomad Veterinary Service)
CATS ONLY - Columbus-based. Can be booked for out-of-town visits.
(614) 348-7298
Franklin County Dog Shelter
Columbus, OH
(614) 462-5581
www.franklincountydogs.com
Livingston Animal Hospital
Columbus, OH
(614) 231-8262
VetsCare
Columbus, OH
(614) 777-4339
Affordable Pet Care
Hilliard, OH
(614) 777-4339
Care Pet Clinic
Columbus, OH
(614) 252-4353
Cat Welfare Association (cats only)
Columbus, OH
(614) 268-6096
www.catwelfareohio.com
Pet Concern
Columbus, OH
(614) 885-3186
The Spay/Neuter Clinic (two locations)
North Columbus, OH
(614) 761-7551
or
South Columbus, OH
(614) 367-9933
Butler County (Hamilton, Fairfield, Oxford, Middletown)
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Animal Friends Humane Society
Trenton, OH
(513) 867-5727
www.animalfriendshs.org
MARX (Minimizing Animal Reproduction without Extremes)
(Mobile s/n clinic for feral and pet cats)
Middletown, OH
(513) 465-3295
Columbiana County (Salem, Columbiana, East Liverpool)
Crawford County (Bucyrus, Galion)
Cuyahoga County (Cleveland, Parma, Westlake)
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A Snip In Time
Cleveland, OH
(216) 651-7142
Citizens For Low Cost Spay and Neuter
Cleveland, OH
(216) 781-0080
City of Cleveland Spay-Neuter Clinic
Cleveland, OH
(216) 664-2759
City of Cleveland Kennel
Cleveland, OH
(216) 664-2759 clinic
(216) 664-3069 main
Pet Guards Shelter
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
(330) 920-1522
Spay Neuter Clinic
Cleveland, OH
(216) 398-1081
Delaware County (Delaware, Sunbury)
Fairfield County (Lancaster, Pickerington, Baltimore)
Fayette County (Washington Courthouse, Jeffersonville)
Fulton County (Wauseon, Archbold)
Geauga County (Chardon, Burton, Middlefield)
Greene County (Xenia, Yellow Springs, Beavercreek, Bellbrook)
Hamilton County (Cincinnati, Harrison, Norwood)
Holmes County (Millersburg)
Knox County (Mt. Vernon, Fredericktown, Centerburg)
Lake County (Mentor, Painesville)
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Fur Cats Only Veterinary Hospital
Mentor, OH
(440) 974-7373
Licking County (Newark, Pataskala, Heath)
Lorain County (Elyria, Avon, Oberlin)
Lucas County (Toledo, Maumee, Sylvania)
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Planned Pethood Inc.
Whitehouse, OH
(419) 877-3499
United Humanitarians
Toledo, OH
(419) 537-1970
Maumee Valley Save a Pet
Toledo, OH
(419) 470-2988
www.maumeevalleysaveapet.org
Animal Wings
Maumee, OH
(419) 861-0485
Anthony Wayne Animal Hospital
Maumee, OH
(419) 893-5518
Country Squire Animal Hospital
Oregon, OH
(419) 691-2273
Inverness Veterinary Clinic
Toledo, OH
(419) 531-1659
Trilby Animal Hospital
Toledo, OH
(419) 474-5403
Overmeyer Veterinary Clinic
Toledo, OH
(419) 885-1331
East Suburban Animal Clinic
Toledo, OH
(419) 691-7201
Village Veterinarian
Waterville, OH
(419) 878-4900
Heatherdowns Veterinary Clinic
Toledo, OH
(419) 385-0325
Brannon Veterinary Clinic
Maumee, OH
(419) 893-0552
Total Pet Care
Maumee, OH
(419) 861-4474
West Suburban Animal Clinic
Sylvania, OH
(419) 885-3445
Operation FELIX
Perrysburg, OH
(419) 266-5607
www.operationfelix.com
Mahoning County (Youngstown, Canfield)
Meigs County (Pomeroy)
Miami County (Troy, Piqua, Tipp City)
Montgomery County (Dayton, Kettering, Huber Heights)
Muskingum County (Zanesville, Frazeysburg)
Portage County (Ravenna, Kent, Aurora)
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Stow Kent Animal Hospital Inc.
Kent, OH
(330) 673-0049
Preble County (Eaton)
Richland County (Mansfield, Ontario, Shelby)
Sandusky County (Fremont, Clyde)
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Sandusky County Humane Society - (feral cat program)
Freemont, OH
(419) 334-4517
Stark County (Canton, Louisville, Alliance, Massillon)
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Animal Protection Guild
Canton, OH
(330) 649-0443 or (330) 455-2001
Hearts and Paws - (feral neutering program)
Canal Fulton, OH
(330) 854-4508
susanb@msn.com
Summit County (Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Twinsburg)
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One of A Kind Pet Rescue - Spay & Neuter Clinic
1700 West Exchange St. Akron, OH 44313
(330) 865-6890
Open Monday - Friday 7:30 - 5:30 p.m.
www.oneofakindpets.org
Hearts and Paws - (feral neutering program)
Canal Fulton, OH
(330) 665-9941
susanb@msn.com
C.H.A.P. (Citizens for Humane Animal Practices) - (Cats only)
(330) 724-6181
Washington County (Marietta, Belpre)
Wyandot County (Upper Sandusky, Carey)
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Wyandot County Humane Society
Upper Sandusky, OH
(419) 294-4477 or toll free (888) 294-4477
www.wyhumane.org
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