Neutering/Spaying Charities

World Spay Day is on  22 February each year

There are a number of charities working hard to neuter/spay animals who could otherwise produce a great many offspring, either destined to become strays or even be destroyed by humane or other methods by local authoriteis.  A lucky few will be picked up by rescues.

According to Dogs on Death Row and PETA, each unspayed female dog and her offspring can potentially produce up to 67,000 puppies in her seven-year lifespan.  Soi Dog, working in Thailand, report that "Global studies have shown that once 80% of the population has been neutered, the number of animals living on the streets begins to decline naturally"

HappyDoggo.com was on the programme "Ben Fogle:  New Lives in the Wild" and it features Niall who is rescuing street dogs on the beaches of Thailand as they, in turn, rescue him.  Niall's wish is to halve the number of street dogs in the world - and you can find out more about him and HappyDoggo here.

Soi Dog's survey (done with the help from independentanimal welfare consultants) in late 2020 shows how important neutering and spaying is. A survey of the stray dog population in Greater Bangkok showed a marked reduction in the areas where Soi Dog's Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return (CNVR) programme was operating - there were about 20% fewer dogs since the numbers in the last previous survey in 2016.  Not only that, but there was a dramatic improvement of the welfare of those dogs left - there were far fewere skinny or emaciated dogs. 

Spaying is the surgical sterilizsation of a female, removing both uterus and ovaries.  Neutering sterilises males surgically, where the testicular tissue is cut away. Both are done under anesthetic.

This page looks to highlight some of the charities working to neuter/spay animals.  They all need donations to help!

SNIP International 
SNIP International is a UK registered charity dedicated to improving standards of animal welfare around the world and it promotes trap, neuter, return (TNR) programmes in stray and feral animals. It has donated specialist catching, trapping and holding equipment to over 600 animal welfare groups in over 90 countries.  Find out more here.  

Cat Lady
Based in the UK (Essex), Cat Lady is run solely by a dedicated team of volunteers.  They offer a Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) programme to help control and contain the cat population. They offer help and advice on stray cats as well, and they always have feral cats in their care who are in need of a safe, permanent home.  You can see their cats up for adoption here.  Visit their website here - donations of products such as dry and wet food, cat litter, blankets, or towels are always welcome. 

Romania Animal Rescue 
The charity is on a mission to imrpove cat and dog welfare, and to help reduce the overpopulation of stray animals.  So far they have spayed/neutered over 100,000 animals!  They hold spayathons, a spay/neuter marathon where the team of their top vets and vet techs, and local and foreign volunteers, work together to spay/neuter dozens of dogs and cats.   These take place across the world where there is a need and where local communities ask for them, although most take place in Romania. 

IAPWA
IAPWA are involved in a number of projects in Romania, and aiming to spay/neuter 3,000 animals in 2022.  In April, they spayed/neutered 502 animals, in co-operation with Animal Life Sibiu - you can see the video here (you'll need to scroll down the page)

OIPA
OIPA, International Organization for Animal Protection, is an International Confederation of associations for the animal protection and for the defence of animal rights all over the world.  One of the charities they work with is Sava's Safe Haven in Romania, which tries to reduce the number of street animals through neutering/spaying projects.  It also ocuses on improving conditions and animal welfare matters in poor villages, training and educating local communities.  It also gives free food and collars to poor families with pets, free microchipping and free spaying/neutering to those in need.

Friends of Animals
US based Friends of Animals say that "Spay/neuter is the most effective way to prevent pet homelessness in America."  They provided nearly 14,000 certificates during the pandemic alone. They sell certificates you can use at participating veterinary clinics for low-cost spay/neutering.  In its history, it has faciliated over 2.8 million spay/neuter procedures to date

Spay Neuter Network
In the US (Texas), the network is on a mission to ensure every pet owner has access to spay/neuter services and preventive care for their pets e.g. spaying, neutering, vaccinating, microchipping, nail trimming, flea & worm treatment etc.  There are certain breeds and sizes they don't do procedures on.  They have a Feral and Community Cats Spay & Neuter programme.

Soi Dog
Every year, Soi Dog spays/neuters and vaccinates tens of thousands of stray dogs and cats throughout Thailand. Since 2003, it has neutered over 700,000 animals.  It does mobile spay and neuter clinics across the Bangkok metropolitan area every day and the project will eventually consist of 10 mobile units and take 7 to 10 years to complete.  Its work on Phuket means that the stray population is under control.  It reaches an impressive 14,000 animals every month.  They have a CNVR programme (Catch, Netuer, Vaccinate and Return).  Visit Soi Dog's website here

Animal Protection Trust 
The Trust has 10 years of neutering in Turkey, and it's neutered and spayed thousands of cats and dogs.  As a result, it's reduced the street animal population to a manageable number.  Crucially it has also convinced local people that spaying & neutering works better than poisoning.  

The Mayhew 
The Mayhew’s community vet clinic provides free preventative Veterinary Interventions for low-income pet owners living within one of five London boroughs – Ealing, Brent, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster - you do need to be eligible. Mayhew International has two branches overseas, one in Afghanistan and on in Georgia, and they work to control populations.

UK

A number of animal charities operate voucher schemes for neutering/spaying and/or they have lots of information about neutering.  Your vet may know of voucher schemes operating in your area for those on low incomes, for example, and you'd need to check to see if you were eligible.  If you aren't eligible, one option could be to talk to your vet about staggering payments over the months.  I will keep adding to this list as I find more charities.

Cats Protection - you can see if they operate a voucher scheme in your area.

Blue Cross has information about neutering, including useful QandAs

Friends of the Animals may be able to offer subsidised prices to those who need help with the cost of neutering 

PDSA has very good information about the procedure plus Q&As

Dog Aid Society of Scotland provides neutering vouchers for dog owners on low incomes - these cannot be used at PDSA hospitals.

Finally, please ADOPT don't shop
ie. help a rescue animal and give them a home.