Tri-City Animal Control to Launch Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Program

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By Chelsea Kopta

Summary

Tri-City Animal Shelter Control announced to Action News Friday that they plan to launch a low-cost spay and neuter program with the help of a new veterinarian.

Story Published: Feb 12, 2010 at 6:56 PM PST

PASCO, WA -- No city or county is immune: too many strays and shelters bursting at the seams because there's no cheap clinic to get an animal fixed. Now, Tri-City Animal Control is trying to turn things around with the help of a new vet.

"We're at that stage now where the spay and neuter has to become a reality for the shelter," Angela Zilar said, Director of the Tri City Animal Control.

The Tri-City Animal Control in Pasco is planning to make sure every animal that is adopted out will be spayed and neutered. They're working with a new vet to schedule the surgeries. The cost would be part of the adoption price. If you plan to adopt an animal that isn't fixed, the cost of surgery would be part of that adoption fee and it would then be up to the pet-owner to schedule an appointment with the contracted vet.

They're still hoping to keep it reasonable.

"We would like to see that our adoption fees don't raise above $100," Zilar said.

They're still working out the price, but if an average adoption costs around $40, spay-neuter fees would bump up the cost to around $80, Which would still be the most affordable price in town.

Action News spent the day crunching the numbers from clinics in the Tri Cities all the way to Yakima. In the Tri Cities, the average price for a 40 pound dog to be neutered is $259, travel to the lower valley and the average price drops to just $90 for the same dog. In Yakima, it's around $205.

Action News did the same check on the average price to spay a cat and found the Tri Cities costs $250, lower valley $90, Yakima $154.

Local vets assured Action News, it's quality of care.

"But those are transport issues," Zilar said. "Can you get there early in the morning, stay there all day in Yakima or Zillah and transport your animal back? That's really not a good answer for these animals."

That's why Zilar is determined to make a a low-cost option closer to home.

Tri-City Animal Control officials wants to keep the name of the vet under wraps - as well as an exact price - until they work out a few more things. For now, reps said you will pay a flat fee for dogs and cats. But if all goes to plan, they could be up and running by next month.