Spay Neuter Information

Jade Jade was born outside after someone moved away and left their cat behind in an apartment complex. She has tested positive for FIV. All of her litter mates died. Help End Animal Abandonment Now!

Each year, approximately ten thousand healthy cats are euthanized in Portland alone. For cats in particular, the reason is most often overpopulation. There simply isn't enough space in our shelters to accommodate the thousands of cats that are found "stray" or surrendered by their owners when no longer convenient. Pregnant stray cats are dumped in neighborhoods or in the country, and euthanized at shelters during kitten season because the resources are not available to accommodate the kittens. The list of tragic reasons why healthy animals are killed goes on and on, but the core problem remains overpopulation. The cost to the community is staggering. Millions of dollars are spent each year euthanizing and disposing of our unwanted pet population, in addition to responding to constant complaints of nuisance, strays or dead animals.

Please be a responsible guardian of your pets (and your neighbor's pets, if necessary) and have them spayed or neutered. Cats and dogs should be spayed or neutered prior to sexual maturity which typically occurs around five months of age. The procedure can safely be performed on cats and dogs anytime after 8 weeks of age.

Click here for spay neuter assistance and information.

Washington County Spay/Neuter Program

We're pleased to announce POP (Pet Overpopulation Prevention project) developed in cooperation with Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter (also known as Washington County Animal Control).

Update:   As of February 2003 all dogs and cats leaving the shelter are being spayed or neutered!

Washington County is the first county shelter in the state of Oregon to spay and neuter all of the animals on-site prior to adoption.

A room at the shelter has been remodeled to be the new surgery room for onsite spaying and neutering.

The benefits to the animals as well as the community are numerous. POP will reduce the long-term pet overpopulation problem significantly.

• By reducing the number of pets being born, the likelihood of abandoned pets getting new homes will increase. The shelters and rescue groups will have more opportunity to educate adopters on how to responsibly choose and care for their new pet.
• An increase in the number of animals adopted from the shelter is expected, by promoting within the community, that animals adopted from the Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter have already been spayed and neutered.

We thank the staff at Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter for their interest in taking a gigantic step toward a more humane future for our companion animals. The staff at the shelter has been very enthusiastic and willing to accept a great deal of change in their daily activities to help make this program a reality. Let them know how much you appreciate their hard work and efforts.