Spay & Neuter Program

For more information about spay/neuter programs and services or to schedule an appointment, please call (888) DHA-SPAY

With your support, DHA is working hard to reduce the number of unwanted cats and dogs by providing low cost spay and neuter services to the public. We believe in spay/neuter surgery as a moral imperative, and all our animals are surgically altered before they are adopted. Millions of cats and dogs are euthanized each year because there are not enough homes for them all. You can be an important part of the solution and help your pet live a happier, healthier, and longer life.

What is Spaying and Neutering?
Why Span or Neuter?
Program Eligibility & Restrictions
How the Program Works
Services and Prices
State of Delaware Spay Neuter Program
Pals for Pits Program

What is Spaying and Neutering?

Spaying is the surgical removal of the reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes) of female animals. Neutering is the surgerical removal of the reproductive glands (testes) of male animals. All spay and neuter surgeries at DHA are performed under general anesthesia by a licensed veterinarian.

Millions of cats and dogs are euthanized each year because there are not enough homes for them all. You can be an important part of the solution and help your pet live a happier, healthier, and longer life.

Why Spay or Neuter?

Too many people do not have their pets spayed or neutered, and this has produced an explosive population growth resulting in many homeless animals in Delaware and across the United States. This creates financial stress on governments, non profit animal rescue agencies, and citizens who are working to address the problem. Increasing the number of animals spayed and neutered will significantly reduce the number of animals being euthanized, decrease the cost of picking up and housing stray or unwanted animals, and lower the threat to public health and safety.

Spaying and neutering can also increase the lifespan of your pet and improve the quality of life of both you and your pet. The health and behavioral benefits include:

• Females will never develop uterine cancer or a potentially fatal uterine infection, and are at much less risk of developing breast cancer and urinary tract infections.
• Males will never develop testicular cancer.
• Males are less likely to roam, mark their territory with urine, act aggressively toward other males, or go to undesirable lengths to get to unspayed females in heat.
• Females won't exhibit the mood swings, restlessness, vocalization, and other annoying behavior brought on by hormonally-induced heat cycles.
• You will not have to deal with the messy spotting of a female in heat and she will not attract excessive attention from unneutered males.
• No accidental pregnancies, so you won't have the extra expense of medical care for a pregnant animal and her offspring, or the responsibility of finding good homes for all of them.

For more information, please read these great articles by the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:

Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Pet

Myths and Facts About Spaying and Neutering

Top 10 Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

Program Eligibility & Restrictions

Surgery is available for cats and dogs only, and must be scheduled by appointment.

You may bring a maximum of 3 animals per surgery day.

Animals must be at least 4 months old, but no more than 7 years old.

Animals must weigh at least 4 pounds, but no more than 30 pounds.

Animals must be able to be safely handled by medical staff; aggressive animals cannot be accepted for surgery.

Pregnant animals can be scheduled for surgery, but an animal that is lactating (producing milk) cannot have surgery until lactation has stopped.

Cats in heat can be scheduled for surgery, but dogs in heat cannot.

Dogs must be heartworm tested negative to undergo surgery.

Animals must be free of bite wounds. Animals with bite wounds will be reported to the Delaware Department of Health Rabies Control Office.

Due to the high volume and low-cost nature of DHA’s spay/neuter program, animals are not physically examined prior to surgery. Additionally, we do not offer what is called “pre-anesthetic bloodwork". This bloodwork looks at key values of liver and kidney function. These organs are very important to processing anesthesia in the animal’s body. Animals that are known to have impaired kidney and/or liver function, or pre-existing health conditions such as a heart murmur or seizures, cannot have surgery at DHA. This is for the safety, health, and well-being of the animal.

The following breeds are considered high-risk surgery candidates and cannot have surgery at DHA:

Dogs Brachycephalic breeds (pushed in faces): Pugs Bulldogs (English and French) Pekingese Sighthounds: Greyhounds Italian Greyhounds Rhodesian Ridgebacks Whippets Afghan Hounds Salukis

Cats Brachycephalic breeds (pushed in faces): Himalayans Persians

Exceptions to the DHA spay/neuter program eligibility requirements/restrictions or program procedures are done on a case-by-case basis with approval from the DHA Medical Manager and shelter veterinarians.

How the Program Works

You must schedule an appointment in advance. We will give you a reminder call the day before your appointment. If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, please call us to cancel or reschedule so that we can give your spot to someone else.

Regular surgery days take place at our location at 701 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. If you need to clarify driving directions to our location, we'll be happy to assist you in advance. Phones are not answered at the shelter before 11 am!

Animals should receive NO food or water after midnight the night before their surgery. Please mark your calendar to take away food/water bowls when you go to bed that night.

Drop off is between 8:30 and 9 am sharp. If you arrive after 9 am you may miss pre-anesthesia and the staff will not be available to check in your animal, so you will have to reschedule.

Dogs must arrive wearing a collar and leash. The leash will be given back to you when your dog is checked in; please remember to bring it when you come back to pick up your dog. Dogs under 20 pounds may arrive in a clean, hard plastic carrier. Please place a towel inside the carrier, but don't use a favorite one because we may give you one of ours if yours gets messy. If your dog arrives in a carrier, please remove all collars and leave them at home.

Cats must arrive in a clean, hard plastic carrier. If you do not use the proper carrier we will insist that you reschedule the surgery. We do not rent or loan carriers, but you can purchase one at DHA for $25 each. Please place a towel inside the carrier, but don't use a favorite one because we may give you one of ours if yours gets messy. Please remove all collars and leave them at home.

Feral cats can arrive in traps. Please put a towel over the trap for the ride to keep the cat as calm as possible.

You must present a valid rabies vaccination certificate that has been signed/stamped by a veterinarian on the MORNING of the surgery for each scheduled animal, unless the animal will be receiving a rabies vaccine from DHA that day.Receipts, invoices, or tags are not acceptable proof of vaccination. If you do not bring the cerficicate(s) with you, the scheduled animal(s) will be given a rabies vaccination for $15 each.

If you are participating in the State of Delaware Low Cost Spay/Neuter Program or the Pals for Pits program, please make sure to bring all necessary paperwork needed to verify your eligibility.

Pick up time is between 4 and 6 pm the same day. We cannot discharge animals any earlier than 4 pm. Pit Bull owners are requested to arrive as close to 4 pm as possible if you have additional paperwork to complete, such as City of Wilmington Pit Bull Registration.

Payment is taken at time of pick up only. We accept cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, and AMEX.

You will receive verbal and written post-operative instruction before you leave. We do not provide follow-up care, and any expenses incurred once the animal leaves DHA are your responsibility.

Services and Prices

Simple Spay/Neuter

Feline Neuter	$25
Feline Spay	$50
Canine Neuter (dogs under 30 pounds)	$75
Canine Spay (dogs under 30 pounds)	$85

Other Services

Rabies Vaccination $15
DHP-PV (Canine Distemper) Vaccination $15
FVR-CP (Feline Distemper) Vaccination $15
FeLV/FIV (Feline Leukemia/Feline AIDS) Test  $25
Heartworm Test  $25
Microchip  $25
Ear tipping – no charge

Package Deals

Feline Spay Package A    Spay, FVR-CP, Rabies, and Microchip $80
Feline Spay Package B   Spay, FVR-CP, and Rabies only $70

Feline Neuter Package A   Neuter, FVR-CP, Rabies and Microchip $50
Feline Neuter Package B   Neuter, FVR-CP, and Rabies only $40

Canine Spay Package A    DHP-PV, Rabies, and New Castle County Dog License  $120
Canine Spay Package B    DHP-PV, Rabies, Microchip, and New Castle County dog license  $130

Canine Neuter Package A    DHP-PV, Rabies, and New Castle County Dog License $90
Canine Neuter Package B    DHP-PV, Rabies, Microchip, and New Castle County Dog License $100

Additional Charges

Pyometra (severe bacterial infection in the uterus) $25

Cryptorchid (undescended testicle) $25 or more, depending on difficulty

Rear Dewclaw Removal  $25

Antibiotics (may be required for pyometra, crypt, or as determined by the veterinarian) $25

Over Weight Fee (for dogs over 30 pounds, if an eligibility exception has been granted) $25 to 35

Frontline+ for felines is available on a one-time basis for our spay/neuter clients at $8 per tube. DHA staff will NOT apply to animal for you.

For more information about DHA's spay/neuter programs, please contact:

Local area: (302) 571-0111
Toll free: (888) DHA-SPAY (342-7729)
info@dehumane.org

State of Delaware Low Cost Spay/Neuter Program

DHA is a participating facility in the State of Delaware Department of Agriculture's low cost spay/neuter program, which provides spaying or neutering for $20 for qualified applicants. Rabies vaccinations are included.

To qualify for the program, you must be a Delaware resident, own an animal from Delaware, and receive at least one of the seven assistance program. You MUST send in your application and payment before you can schedule surgery at DHA or any other  participating facility. If you are eligible and your pet registration is certified by the program coordinator, your Pet Registration forms will be returned to you with a list of participating facilities. If you choose to schedule an appointment at DHA, please make sure to let us know that you're an approved program participant. If your application is denied, your payment will be returned to you.

Only spaying or neutering and a rabies vaccination are included in the program. If you choose to receive additional services from DHA, you will be responsible for the charges and will have to pay for them separately on the surgery date.

Applications can be obtained at DHA and other local animal shelters, from the Delaware Department of Agriculture by phone or postal mail (see below), or downloaded from the Delaware Department of Agriculture website.

For more information, please contact:

DE Department of Agriculture
Attn: Spay/Neuter Program Coordinator
2320 S. DuPont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 698-4567
(800) 282.8685
(302) 697-4492 (fax)