The Animal Welfare League has a spay/neuter assistance program funded through a joint effort with the City of Gunnison, Gunnison County, the Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund, and GVAWL. Over 1,300 community members have been helped through the spay/neuter assistance program since 1994.

Assistance Application & Vouchers Demonstrate financial need for assistance vouchers by completing the application. Approved applicants receive a voucher toward any spay/neuter procedure at any vet in the Gunnison County.  The voucher ranges from $40 to $120, depending on the type and size of your pet. Vets then send the voucher to GVAWL for redemption.      DOWNLOAD ASSISTANCE APPLICATION

Spay & Neuter Clinics

GVAWL also occasionally sponsors a Spay/Neuter clinic where a vet comes and does many low-cost sterilizations in one or two days. We will do these clinics based on need and availability of the vets and volunteers.

Importance of Sterilization

It is estimated that in order to give every cat and dog in the U.S. a home, each and every person would have to own 7 pets. For example, a family of four would have to have 28 cats and dogs. We don’t know many people willing to do that! As a result, every year millions of cats and dogs must be put to sleep at animal shelters because no one wants them. There is only one way to reduce the pet overpopulation problem and avoid millions more euthanasias: spaying or neutering your pet.

Spaying is a general term used to describe the ovariohysterectomy of a female animal. Neutering is a general term used to describe the castration of a male animal. However, neutering is often used in reference to both genders. The surgical procedure, performed by a veterinarian, renders the animal incapable of reproducing. Here are answers to some questions you may have about this beneficial procedure.

When can I have this procedure done?
Both procedures can safely be performed at as early as 8 weeks of age. American Humane Association is a strong proponent of juvenile or pediatric spay/neuter since it is both healthy for pets and effectively reduces pet overpopulation.

Why should I have my pet neutered?
Animal shelters, both public and private, are faced with an incredible burden: What to do with the overpopulation of dogs and cats that they cannot find homes for? Approximately 3.7 million animals are euthanized at shelters each year, due to the sheer fact that there are not enough willing adopters. Having your pet spayed or neutered ensures that you will not be adding to this tremendous burden.

What are some of the health and behavioral benefits?
Through neutering, you can help your dog or cat live a happier, healthier, longer life. Spaying eliminates the constant crying and nervous pacing of a female cat in heat. Spaying a female dog also eliminates the messiness associated with the heat cycle. Neutering of male dogs and cats can prevent certain undesirable sexual behaviors, such as urine marking, humping, male aggression and the urge to roam. If you have more than one pet in your household, all the pets will generally get along better if they are neutered.
A long-term benefit of spaying and neutering is improved health for both cats and dogs. Spaying females prior to their first heat cycle nearly eliminates the risk of breast cancer and totally prevents uterine infections and uterine cancer. Neutering males prevents testicular cancer and enlargement of the prostate gland, and greatly reduces their risk for perianal tumors.

Neutering just costs too much!
The cost of caring for a pet, including providing veterinary care, should be considered before acquiring an animal. The reality is that the cost associated with providing adequate care for just one litter of puppies or kittens is often more than the cost of spaying or neutering. The cost of feeding, worming and first vaccinations for a litter can be upwards of $200 to $300. You must also consider that there could be complications with the birth that require hospitalization or surgery. You will also be faced with finding good homes for the offspring yourself or placing more animals into your local shelter. The cost of the well-being of not just your companion animal, but of future generations, should be considered.

Can’t I allow my purebred dog to have just one litter?
Mixed breed or purebred — there just aren’t enough homes. Purebred animals also often end up in shelters. In fact, 25 percent of shelter dogs are purebreds. Responsible purebred breeders have homes for their potential litters before they breed.

Isn’t it wrong to deprive an animal of the natural right to reproduce?
No, it’s wrong to allow these animals to reproduce millions of unwanted offspring that are eventually killed because there aren’t enough responsible homes.

If I find homes for my pet’s litters, then I won’t contribute to the problem, right?
Wrong. Only a finite number of people want pets. So every home you find for your pet’s offspring takes away a home from a loving animal already at a shelter.

Shouldn’t every female pet have at least one litter before being spayed?
No. In fact, your pet will be healthier if she never sexually matures.

Doesn’t neutering alter an animal’s personality?
No. Personality changes that may result from neutering are for the better. Not being distracted by the instinctual need to find a mate helps your pet stop roaming and decreases aggressive tendencies.

Won’t animal shelters take care of the surplus animals?
No. Shelters do their best to place animals in loving homes, but the number of homeless animals far exceeds the number of willing adopters. This leaves many loving and healthy animals in our community that must be euthanized as the only humane solution to this tragic dilemma. Only spaying and neutering can end the overpopulation problem.