Sacramento County’s Animal Care and Regulation Department works tirelessly to control animal overpopulation with low- to no-cost spay and neuter services for cats and dogs. Last year, Sacramento County’s Bradshaw Animal Shelter performed more than 3,000 in-house surgeries to prevent unwanted litters.
But County spay and neuter services cannot tackle the problem of animal overpopulation in the Sacramento region alone. In recognition of this issue, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved a $20,000 allocation to the Sacramento SPCA’s “We Pay to Spay” program, which offers free spaying and neutering to pit bulls and pit bull mixes, and $10,000 to enhance the SPCA’s spay and neuter services for feral cats in the Galt, Herald and Franklin areas.
Recent budget challenges have loomed large for the 14-year-old SPCA program, and the SPCA announced in January that the program might be discontinued without outside financial support. The program, according to the SPCA, costs $60,000 annually to run and has spayed and neutered more than 11,000 pit bulls over the life of the program.
“The ‘We Pay to Spay’ program is an important part of the collective efforts of municipal and non-profit organizations to decrease the number of unwanted litters and dogs from being abandoned at area shelters,” said Phil Serna, Chairman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. “We are pleased to assist in providing services to protect the health and welfare of animals in Sacramento area communities.”
Pit bulls make up a large percentage of the Sacramento County Bradshaw Shelter’s annual intake, and most are not redeemed by their owners. Because of this issue, the County’s Department of Animal Care and Regulation allocated financial resources to the “We Pay to Spay” program.
“Sacramento County’s allocation of $20,000 to the SPCA’s successful spay and neuter program is another way we can continue to work together to reduce the number of unwanted animals filling shelters in the Sacramento region,” said Supervisor Susan Peters, District 3.
The Bradshaw Shelter offers a variety of low- or no-cost spay and neuter services. The Bradshaw Shelter’s mobile unit, known as the BAAT (Bradshaw Animal Assistance Team) Mobile, is a fully equipped surgical unit, enabling veterinarians to provide convenient spay/neuter services to Sacramento area communities.
The outreach trailer also provides no-cost vaccination, microchipping and wellness services to county animal owners who face transportation and/or financial issues.
“By working with the SPCA and supporting its ‘We Pay to Spay’ program, we are helping reduce the numbers of unwanted/unaltered animals coming into the shelter system each year,” said Supervisor Don Nottoli, District 5, “as well as improving the quality of life for animals and people throughout Sacramento County.”
When it comes to spaying and neutering, every animal counts. According to Spay USA, two unaltered cats and their offspring can produce 370,000 kittens in seven years, and more than two million in eight years. Two unaltered dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in six years.
"The Board of Supervisors, by approving financial support for the Pay to Spay program for pit bulls, is saving hundreds of animal lives. It is wonderful to work in concert with Sacramento County," said Rick Johnson, CEO of the Sacramento SPCA.
There are many low- or no-cost spay/neuter services and adoptable pets at Sacramento County’s Bradshaw Animal Shelter.
The Sacramento SPCA also has spay and neuter services.
