Santa Clara County leaders are facing their most uncertain financial crisis since the pandemic, and they’re turning every stone for ideas on wrangling extra money. That includes, for the first time, spaying and neutering pets.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the new service Tuesday, which will open the Animal Services Center in San Martin to county pet owners seeking to snip their critters at lower prices than private veterinarians. The shelter has only provided this service for strays and unwanted animals. That will change starting July 1.
Officials said they’re able to provide the service after hiring two full-time veterinarians at the shelter for the first time in its history. The rates they’re offering residents are significantly lower than the commercial industry. The county will charge residents $130 to spay or neuter a cat. The cost of spaying or neutering a dog — depending on size — ranges from $265 to $665. Rabbits will cost about $395.
“I was a little shocked at the $665 for a large dog, but I think that’s half of the cost if you go to market or a private clinic,” Supervisor Sylvia Arenas said at the meeting.
County Program Manager Buu Thai said her department did a study of average corresponding rates in private veterinary clinics, which found cats usually cost $430 to spay and neuter; dogs cost between $639 and $853 depending on size; and rabbits cost about $470.
The VCA Winchester Animal Hospital in Campbell charges between $1,200 and $1,300 for dogs and cats, excluding any associated exams and costs. The Kirkwood Animal Hospital in Campbell charges between $260 and $411 for cats. The hospital requires a $72 exam for dogs, and pay and neutering costs range from $500 to $950.
“We have no shortage of people wanting the service as it is, and I think no shortage of people offering to pay for it right now, so I don’t think we’ll have a problem in pet owners taking advantage of the service,” Animal Services Center Program Manager Lisa Jenkins said at the meeting.
Thai said the county will continue to spay and neuter strays at no cost.
“Spaying and neutering of community and free roaming cats remain a high priority,” she said at the meeting.
Officials said it’s still crucial to prioritize animal breeds that most often end up in their care.
“For us it’s more about being targeted and want to make sure we’re targeting the animals first that are affecting the shelter population rather than doing it across the board,” Jenkins said at the meeting. “The animals staying at our shelter for a long time because they’re hard to adopt, (such as) your German Shepherds, pit bulls, huskies.”
The county is weathering a structural budget deficit in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Last year supervisors had to close a $250 million shortfall. But this year brings even more uncertainty, as congressional lawmakers prepare to trim trillions in spending over the next decade, and cut off billions of federal dollars flowing west to Silicon Valley.
Officials say they’ll evaluate spay and neuter rates based on residents’ income.
“We will provide fee waivers in cases where there is hardship to pay for the fees,” Thai said.
Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X.
This story originally appeared in San José Spotlight.