The price is right – have your pet spayed or neutered.

City of Friendsville Need-Based Spay/Neuter Assistance

The Animal Protectorates seeks to decrease the number of healthy pets being euthanized at shelters. One of the ways we are accomplishing this is by providing need-based spay and neuter vouchers to qualified City of Friendsville residents so that they can have their pets altered and thereby reduce the number of unwanted pets entering the shelter system where they are at risk of euthanasia.

This program is funded by donations, grants and proceeds from Saving Spot Boutique.

To be eligible for assistance, the pet owner must complete an application and provide a City of Friendsville water bill.  If approved, you will be contacted with the next steps.

Apply Here

Frequently Asked Questions About Spaying & Neutering

The term “spay” is used to refer to the surgical process of removing the uterus and/or ovaries of a female animal and “neuter” refers to removing the testicles of a male animal.  Sometimes the term “neuter” or “altered” is used for the sterilization process of either male or female.

In addition to the societal benefits of preventing accidental litters and reducing the number of unwanted pets ending up at shelters at risk of euthanasia, spaying and neutering has health and behavioral benefits for pets as well.

Cancer prevention

Spayed and neutered dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives because the procedure prevents or greatly reducing the risks of many types of cancer: ovarian, uterine, mammary (breast) and prostate.  In fact, the rate of breast cancer goes down to nearly zero if the spaying is done before the first heat cycle.

Cleanliness

Unaltered females leak bloody fluid several times per year as part of their cycle when they go into heat.

Unaltered male animals roam – increasing their chances of getting into fights (because they bite and are more aggressive), hit by a car, shot or stolen.  They also get into the habit of humping (mounting male and female animals, humans, pillows) and marking their territory (with urine).  These are difficult habits to correct especially if the pet is neutered at an older age.

Common Misconceptions About Spaying & Neutering

Spaying and neutering may indeed change a pet’s personality – but for the better!  Instead of focusing on mating, they will be more focused on you.  The procedure will also reduce or eliminate behaviors such as aggression, marking and roaming.

Just like people, pets gain weight because they are not active enough or they eat too much – having nothing to do with being spayed or neutered.  Your pet depends on you keep them fit by feeding them a good diet and exercising them.

Not only does spaying before the first heat cycle make the surgery easier for your pet, it greatly decreases her risk of getting breast cancer.

Spaying and neutering is actually a very affordable surgery compared to the cost of having and caring for a litter (or worse, the societal cost of having to take a litter to the shelter).  Most communities through city subsidies and animal welfare organizations, have implemented free or low-cost spay-and-neuter programs so that everyone can have access to the procedure.

Post Surgery Care 

Recovery from a spay or neuter surgery will take approximately two weeks.  During this time, it is important to:

Keep Them On A Regular Diet

Changing their diet or giving them too many treats after their surgery could upset their stomach and straining to potty hurts them.

Limit Activity

Many pets seem to have their normal energy level back as early as the next day.  Even so, if they run and play or jump on and off furniture, it could break open their incision site and cause complications, including a visit to the veterinarian to resuture them.

Check And Keep The Incision Site Dry

Bathe or groom your pet prior to the surgery date.  When adopting from a shelter, animals are frequently spayed or neutered prior to you picking them up and even though they may be dirty and smell, it is important to let them heal prior to bathing them so that the incision site does not get contaminated with dirty water.

Keep a Cone or Other Lick-Preventing Device on Them

Animals that are interested in their incision site may lick the site which can get it infected, but also rip out sutures.

Keep Your Pet Separate From Other Pets In The Home

Even though a male pet has been neutered, he can still impregnate an un-spayed female pet for up to 30 days.  And, because the altered pet smell different (due to hormonal changes and having been to the vet’s office in general), there can be tension with the other animals in the home.

Contact your veterinarian right away if there appear to be complications.

We rescued these unwanted puppies and kittens  from shelters where they were at risk of euthanasia.