Improving the quality of life for animals in the Gila Valley through education and awareness.
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.
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.
Help Save Lives
Why should I fix my pet?
Health
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 fixed.

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

You must also consider that there could be complications with the pregnancy or birth that require hospitalization or surgery. It could even result in your female losing her life and the offspring.
It costs too much money!
The cost of caring for a pet, including providing veterinary care, should be considered before acquiring an animal. Many animal shelters offer low-cost spay/neuter services, and there are also many low-cost spay/neuter clinics across the country.
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. On average you will need $50-$200 to fix your pet. This can be saved by cutting back on other small expenses you might not notice like daily coffee runs, eating out at lunch, and the after work drink(s) with friends.
Spaying and neutering is a one time expense that can save you more money later and help the community too.
Ways to pay for spay/neuter
* Save a small amount each week in a jar. Often times if you cut out a daily coffee run or even put your spare change in a jar it can add up fast!
* Apply for a carecredit card. This cannot be used anywhere except the vets office. Offers 6mo-12mo interest free payment plans depending on the vet bill to help cover surgeries and emergency care. *make sure to ask for the no interest when the receptionist runs your card*
What about the Spay/Neuter hotline or free certificates?
There was a Spay/Neuter hotline for our county years ago run by a non-profit out of Phoenix, Arizona. They have since stopped supporting our county (in 2014) and no other consistent program has replaced it. It requires funding from the community through grants & donations to provide free or discounted vouchers to the public or to bring in free mobile clinics. GVDL would love to get a local program set up. If you would like to help organize this we are looking for board members and volunteers :)
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In the meantime, we suggest speaking with the local vet about any kind of payment plans or looking in the carecredit card listed above.