Free spay/neuter for L.A. dogs

Four days, four hundred free spays and neuters. Now that’s something to be proud of. Paws for Life K9 Rescue held a large-scale project targeted toward the animals who really need it, and in Los Angeles right now, that is dogs.

Several organizations came together in support of the event including The Hollander Family Foundation, Animal Balance, Best Friends, Michelson Found Animals, and Wings of Rescue, in a true team effort.

Best Friends supported by sending two anesthesia machines and $25,000 to help make the project possible.

“While our focus in Los Angeles is to get animals out of the shelter, we recognize the need to prevent them from entering as well,” says Brittany Thorn, Best Friends executive director in L.A.

[Shifting pet spay/neuter into high gear]

“With the lack of affordable spay and neuter here, we have seen larger numbers of puppies entering our city's shelters. By offering free surgeries to underserved communities, we are directly impacting the number of dogs that could potentially end up in shelters.”

People immediately signed up with Paws for Life to have their dogs spayed or neutered, and on the big day, people from across Los Angeles County brought their dogs, 100 in all, for surgery. And then again, each day for the following three days.

[Pet spay-neuter-a-thon erases backlog in Brownsville]

In all, there were 400 surgeries completed, and it took everyone working together to make the project a success, and to offer it for free. A job well done.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.