You CAN afford to have your pet spayed or neutered!

Spay Neuter Assistance Program

Our Spay Neuter Assistance Program makes spaying and neutering affordable for many pet parents in central Oklahoma (owned pets only). We work with participating veterinary clinics throughout this area. Our program is open to pet parents who meet the qualifications below and can make it to one of our participating clinics.

Spay Neuter Application and Information

• To receive our Spay Neuter Packet (application, information about our Spay Neuter Assistance Program and a list of participating clinics) by mail, call us at 405-418-8511, option 1 and leave the information requested. If you live in OKC zip code 73111 or 73114, press 2 and leave a message.
• Download our everyday, year-round Spay Neuter Packet.  Be sure all information in Part 1 (includes your information and your pet’s information) is complete.  Include proof of benefits or your gross household income and your payment.
• Norman Pet Parents – Do you qualify for FREE spay neuter for your cat or dog?  Download our Norman brochure and application for low-income pet parents.  You must live in Norman city limits to qualify. DO NOT use this application if you do not live in Norman city limits.
• Do you live in Oklahoma City?  FREE spay neuter is available from Oklahoma City Animal Welfare if you live in OKC.  Call Safe Haven Clinic in Spencer at 405-313-1469 for information and an appointment. NOTE: OKC free spaying and neutering is not a part of Best Friends of Pets’ Spay Neuter Assistance Program.
• Applications are reviewed when received and approved applications are usually mailed the same day.  You can expect your approved application within one week from the date you mail your application if you provide all the requested information.

Automatic Qualification

• SoonerCare / Medicaid (not Medicare)
• OKDHS – Food benefits, TANF, etc.
• SSI – Supplemental Security Income (not Social Security)
• You must show that your benefits are current so we cannot accept copies of cards. Go to OKDHSLive.org to get a copy of your award letter or see if you qualify for SoonerCare or OKDHS benefits.  Call your local OKDHS office and ask them to help you through the process if you do not have a computer.

Qualification Based on Gross Household Income – Your gross income for ALL members of your household must be at or below these amounts.

We will accept the following types of proof if you are qualifying based on your income.  Be sure all income for all members of your household is included. Black out social security or account numbers.

• Social Security Disability award letter
• Social Security statement
• Copy of Federal Form 1040 (or equivalent filing) Page 1 for 2020 
• or go to OKDHSLive.org

Fees

• Cats – $10
• Dogs – $20
• Rabies Vaccinations (only available at the time of the spay or neuter) – $5

When to Spay or Neuter?  Many of our participating veterinarians spay or neuter pets as young as 8 weeks of age or weighing at least 2 pounds.  Kittens should be spayed or neutered by 4 months of age and puppies by 5 months of age to prevent unwanted litters, certain cancers and many unwanted behaviors.  

Why Spay or Neuter? 

Spaying or neutering helps your pet live a longer, healthier life.  Your pet is less likely to roam, bite, scratch, fight, mark territory, spray or develop uterine, mammary or testicular cancer.  Cost is often the biggest reason why pets are not spayed or neutered.  By providing affordable spaying and neutering to low-income pet owners, fewer unwanted puppies and kittens are born that would likely be surrendered to our local animal shelters. More than 9,000 cats and dogs are euthanized at the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter each year, and more than one third of those are puppies and kittens.  Hundreds more are euthanized each year at the smaller shelters.  Spaying and neutering is the best way to stop this needless loss of life.

Top 10 Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet (courtesy of ASPCA.org) Whether you’ve recently adopted a pet or you’re considering it, one of the most important health decisions you’ll make is to spay or neuter your cat or dog. Spaying—removing the ovaries and uterus of a female pet—is a veterinary procedure that requires minimal hospitalization and offers lifelong health benefits. Neutering—removing the testicles of your male dog or cat—will vastly improve your pet’s behavior and keep him close to home. Not convinced yet? Check out our handy—and persuasive—list of the top 10 reasons to spay or neuter your pet!

1. Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, which is fatal in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
2. Neutering provides major health benefits for your male. Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.
3. Your spayed female won’t go into heat. While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they’ll yowl and urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house!
4. Your male dog won’t want to roam away from home. An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate! That includes digging his way under the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.
5. Your neutered male will be much better behaved. Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.
6. Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat. Don’t use that old excuse! Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.
7. It is highly cost-effective. The cost of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. It also beats the cost of treatment when your unneutered tom escapes and gets into fights with the neighborhood stray!
8. Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community. Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children. Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets.
9. Your pet doesn’t need to have a litter for your children to learn about the miracle of birth. Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is not a good lesson for your children—especially when so many unwanted animals end up in shelters. There are tons of books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a more responsible way.
10. Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation. Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.