The Ripple Effect of Spaying and Neutering
In honor of National World Spay and Neuter Day on February 24, we are highlighting the life-saving impact of one simple surgery.
It takes just one surgery to save millions of lives. Spaying and neutering your pets and stray animals helps rescues and shelters across the nation save space, resources, and, most importantly, the lives of many homeless animals. Here’s how:
Nipping Overpopulation at its Bud
The population of dogs and cats continues to grow nationwide, filling animal rescues and shelters to capacity. According to ASPCA’s 2025 annual report, 5,789,000 dogs and cats were taken into the care of shelters and rescues in the course of one year. With one surgery, we can prevent thousands to millions of homeless animals from entering shelters.
To understand how one spay and neuter can save millions of lives, let’s talk litter.
Cats: A single female cat can begin having babies as young as 4 months old (PetsCare). Cats may have up to 4 litters of kittens each year (PetsCare). Typically, each kitten litter has between 1 and 12 kittens; on average, a cat may have 4 kittens per litter (Hepper 2025).
An unspayed cat can have 15-20 kittens in a single year. If half of these kittens are female and reproduce at the same rate, their offspring and their offspring’s offspring could number more than 200,000 in just five years.
Dogs: Female dogs can become pregnant between 6 and 15 months old, and they can have 2-3 litters a year (Animal Medical of New City). It is important for us to note that it is incredibly harmful to a mama dog’s health not to get a break between litters. Still, dogs may have 1 to 12 puppies in a litter, depending on their size and breed; the average is 5 to 6 (Animal Medical of New City).
An unspayed dog could have an average of 12 puppies a year. If half of her puppies are female and continue reproducing at the same rate generation after generation, one unspayed dog and her offspring could produce more than 15,000 puppies in just five years.
Each female cat or dog that goes unfixed contributes to the thousands, if not millions, of homeless animals in shelters each year. One surgery can significantly reduce population growth, offering hope and vital support to rescues across the country.
Supporting Animal Welfare Organizations and Their Impact
By spaying and neutering your pets, you are also supporting your local animal rescues and shelters.
Slowing down the growing population of animals with spay and neuter:
- Allows staff to allocate more time to focus on successful long-term home placements (SPCA Northern Nevada).
- Reduces the number of fragile newborns who need round-the-clock care, allowing medical resources and volunteer hours to be redirected to animals currently in need (ASPCA Pro; SPCA Northern Nevada).
- Increases the funds shelters may use to improve their facilities, support their community members and their companions (through our community food bank and low-income veterinary clinic), fund adoption programs, and afford special treatment for animals in need (SPCA Northern Nevada).
- Enables staff members to spend more individual time with animals in their care, improving behavioral outcomes and making meaningful connections that can be replicated with potential adopters (SPCA Northern Nevada).
- Decreases the number of days a dog or cat will spend in the shelter (UF Health 2025).
These are reasons why each animal we adopt out is already spayed or neutered. Because of our amazing team, supportive businesses and partners, and caring community members, we can help make a difference in the lives of many furry hearts.
Low-Income Veterinary Clinic at SHS
Spokane Humane Society has proudly spayed and neutered 2,339 pets in 2025, thanks to our Low-Income Veterinary Spay/Neuter Clinic. On this National World Spay and Neuter Day, we celebrate that impact and remain committed to making these services accessible. Let us support you and your companion. Visit our website for our low-income guidelines and the full list of our services. Some of the services we offer include:
Spay & Neuter
- Female Dog Spay: Between $150-$250 based on weight
- Male Dog Neuter: Between $140-$240 based on weight
- Female Cat Spay: $100
- Male Cat Neuter: $80
Microchipping, Vaccinations, and More
- Microchipping: $30+ tax
- Rabies: $20
- Dewormer: $10
- Distemper/Parvo (Dogs): $20
- Bordetella (Dogs): $20
- Leptospirosis (Dogs): $20
- Flea & Tick Preventative (Dogs): $20 per dose
- FeLV/FIV testing (Cats): $30
- FVRCP (Cats): $30
- Flea Preventative (Cats): $20
Help Us Prevent the Next Litter
On this National World Spay and Neuter Day, we are reminded that prevention is powerful.
We would love to host another sponsored Community Spay & Neuter Day, offering deeply reduced fees to families who need support while ensuring every pet receives the full wraparound medical care they deserve.
If you are financially positioned to help underwrite a future surgery day, please reach out directly to Kristi Soto, Director of Marketing & Development, at kristi@spokanehumanesociety.org to explore options.
One day of prevention can impact thousands of lives in the future.
