Low Cost Spay/ Neuter Clinics

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting strain on medical supply resources, the New Hampshire SPCA has made the decision to suspend our Spay and Neuter Clinics until further notice. Our supply of proper surgical safety gear (Personal Protective Equipment or PPE) is low and we are not able to guarantee when we will be able to re-supply. All PPE should be directed to health care providers to help cope with the influx of patients to hospitals. For this reason, we are only able to conduct emergency care to our in-house animals and retain some PPE to protect staff.  
 
We understand this is a vital service and we look forward to providing it again in the future as soon as it is reasonable to do so.  

If you have not yet contacted the New Hampshire SPCA regarding an upcoming appointment that you had scheduled for April or May, please email the Community Programs Coordinator: [email protected]
 
We strongly encourage all owners to keep their pets, even if they are demonstrating undesirable behaviors. Animal shelters are stretched thin and are only able to take in animals due to serious emergency.  

Please do your part to protect animals and keep all un-spayed and un-neutered animals inside to prevent unwanted litters.    Please see below for some helpful information regarding living with an un-altered pet. 

Intact Female Cat

Intact Male Cat

Intact Female Dog

Intact Male Dog

New Hampshire SPCA – Stratham

The NHSPCA offers low cost spay neuter clinics. We provide several different programs based on financial need. Please call for pricing. Fees include a physical exam, spay or neuter and a nail trim. Rabies and Distemper vaccines, microchipping and flea/tick preventative are also available for an additional fee. Payment for clinics is required at the time of registration. Cash and credit card only please.

This program is for cats only.  See additional information and requirements.

Spay/ Neuter Facts

The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that both male and female cats be neutered/spayed by five months of age. If your cat is over five months, you can still get them fixed!

Female cats
Receive a spay surgery.
A spay is a surgical procedure in which the ovaries and uterus are surgically removed.
Spaying prevents unwanted pregnancy and stops heat cycles.
When performed early in life, spaying can decrease the chance of your pet getting breast cancer.

Male cats
Receive a neuter surgery.
Neutering is a surgical procedure in which the testicles are removed.
Neutering prevents unwanted reproduction and can help improve some negative behavioral effects of male hormones, such as roaming and certain types of aggression.

More Spay/Neuter Facts and Info

  • Why is it good for my cat?

    Spaying and neutering can help cats live longer, healthier lives by eliminating or reducing health problems that can be very difficult and/or expensive to treat such as Pyometra (uterine infection), uterine and ovarian cancer and complications associated with giving birth.

    Neutered males will not develop testicular cancer. Their risk for developing prostate cancer is greatly reduced

  • Why is it good for me?

    Spayed/neutered pets are usually better behaved and tend to be less aggressive, more calm and affectionate than those that are not spayed/neutered. This can make living with your cat easier and more enjoyable and help improve relationships between the cat and other companion animals in the home.

    Male cats are less likely to spray urine and mark their territory inside or outside.*This is especially true if neutered before the male cat starts to spray.

    Spaying a female cat eliminates her heat cycle, thereby eliminating regular bleeding, crying and yowling, as well as the nervous behavior that often accompanies the heat cycle.

    Litters of kittens are adorable, yes. But, they can be challenging to care for, expensive and difficult to re-home

  • Why is it good for my community?

    Spay/neuter decreases the homeless animal population. Homeless animals can spread disease and many have come into shelters with challenging health problems just from being homeless. Many shelters are full of homeless animals, and much of the time, there are not enough or the right kind of homes for all of them.

    Stray and homeless cats are often involved in automobile accidents and other unfortunate occurrences that can endanger the lives of the animals and people.

    Stray animals can seriously impact wildlife populations, in particular those that are threatened and endangered.

 

Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic for Cats at the New Hampshire SPCA

  • Clinics are held an average of two times per month, usually on Tuesdays.
  • Space on all clinic days is first come, first served. Clinics are popular and typically fill six to eight weeks in advance.
  • Registration in advance is required and is done over the phone or in person by coming into the shelter.
  • Payment for the surgery fee is due at the time of registration and is payable by credit card or cash only.
    Please call to discuss costs for services.
  • Due to the popularity of the Spay and Neuter Clinics, space on clinic dates cannot be held without payment.
  • Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email with important information and forms. Please review this information prior to the clinic date. Consent and vaccine forms will need to be signed by the pet owner.

In addition to the spay/neuter surgery, the following services are available for an additional fee (all prices are per pet):

  • Microchip: $25
  • Topical Flea/Tick treatment: $10
  • E-Collar cone (for after surgery): $10
  • Rabies vaccination: $20*
  • Distemper vaccination: $20

Please note: Not every cat is a candidate for surgery at a low-cost clinic. Clinics are designed to offer spay/neuter surgery services for several cats in one day and the surgery protocols are calculated with this in mind.
Some pets require more individualized care due to their breed or underlying health conditions.
Spaying and neutering a cat is surgery that carries risks. Pre-operative bloodwork, modified anesthesia protocols for individual animals and thorough exams are not possible prior to surgery at this Spay/Neuter Clinic.

Additional Requirements

Cats should:

  • Be between 4 months and 7 years of age and weigh a minimum of 2 pounds.
  • Have no known illness, injury or medical condition that may increase risk during surgery or require individualized care. We cannot admit a cat for surgery that has a diagnosed heart murmur, impaired liver or kidney function, an active respiratory infection (coughing, sneezing, wheezing, weeping eyes, runny nose), signs of contagious skin infection such as mange or ringworm, history of seizures, bleeding disorder, diagnosed hernias or male cats with undescended testicles (cryptorchid).
  • Not belong to the following breeds:
    British Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian, Scottish Fold
    These cats have flattened faces and/or narrowed nostrils (brachycephalic) and carry inherent additional risk with respiration during surgery. Therefore, they are not candidates for the surgery protocol at this Spay/Neuter Clinic.
  • Have proof of up-to-date Rabies vaccination in the form of a valid Rabies Certificate. A tag is not sufficient proof. If your cat is not up-to-date, a Rabies vaccination will be administered during the Clinic day at an additional cost of $20.
  • Not have live fleas. If your pet has live fleas, an oral flea treatment will be given at an additional cost of $10.
  • We reserve the right to refuse surgery for any cat should we determine it is unsafe due to health risks or if there is a risk to staff or the other pets present on clinic day.
  • Our low-cost Spay and Neuter Clinics are typically meant to assist cat owners who are experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to afford surgery at their primary veterinarian. Space on our clinics is extremely limited and fills up quickly. Typically, we are not able to assist owners who have recently purchased exotic kittens or cats.

Please note that there may be rare cases of additional minor surgery charges (no more than $75) if your cat requires special attention during surgery for a previously unknown health issue.

We are so happy to be able to offer this critical program to spay and neuter cats in New Hampshire. Please note that this program should not replace regular veterinary check-ups. Please have your pet seen by a veterinarian every year or more often if recommended to ensure their ongoing good health!

For additional information, or to register, please call:
603-772-2921 ext. 147
Questions? Contact us here.

 

 

Rabies Vaccine Info

Under state law (RSA 436:100) every dog, cat, and ferret 3 months of age and older shall be vaccinated against rabies. Learn more by downloading this Rabies Fact Sheet here.

Low Cost Rabies Clinics

Distemper Vaccine

The FVRCP vaccine is an important part of your cat’s routine. This vaccine protects your cat against three highly contagious viruses that are widespread in the environment and that in some instances can be fatal.

More info

Other Resources

There are other programs throughout the state of New Hampshire that provide financial assistance or offer low cost spay and neuter surgeries for cats as well as dogs.

More Info