Chicago veterinarians, FoA team up to gift 70 free spay/neuter certificates to residents in need
Priscilla Feral
For Immediate Release
March 13, 2026
Priscilla Feral, president, Friends of Animals (203) 656-1522 fe...@friendsofanimals.org
Chicago veterinarians, FoA team up to gift 70 free spay/neuter certificates to residents in need
Chicago, Illinois — Chicago’s shelters are facing mounting pressure as thousands of dogs and cats enter the system each year, with many being relinquished by their owners, intensifying overcrowding and driving preventable euthanasia.
Since there’s no debate that affordable pet care helps combat owner surrenders and overpopulation, from March 16-17, 2026, Friends of Animals, a nationwide animal advocacy organization, will be gifting 70 free spay/neuter certificates to Chicagoans in need.
The value of these surgical procedures through Friends of Animals’ breeding control program is approximately $15,000. Certificates cover the cost of a routine spay/ neuter procedure and will be limited to one per household.
In 2025 alone, Chicago shelters admitted 9,636 dogs and 8,701 cats. Of those, 2,263 dogs and 3,471 cats were surrendered by their owners. All while only 1,325 dogs and 2,302 cats were adopted.
“When pet care becomes too expensive, and surrender outpaces adoption, shelters bear the consequences,” said Friends of Animals President, Priscilla Feral. “If we’re serious about reducing intake and euthanasia, then access to affordable breeding control services is paramount.”
Pet owners interested in receiving a no cost spay/neuter certificate should call 1-800-321-PETS 8 a.m.-4 p.m. CST on March 16. Certificates will be distributed on a first come first serve basis until they run out.
Friends of Animals has six Chicago veterinarians in their breeding control program who serve the community—Auburn Animal Clinic, Animal Medical Center, Hinsdale Animal Hospital, Carriage Animal Hospital, Wright Animal Hospital, and Glen Ellyn Animal Hospital.
Friends of Animals’ unique, affordable spay/neuter program is comprised of a national network of approximately 500 cooperating veterinarians. They’ve conducted roughly 3 million procedures.
Friends of Animals, an international animal protection organization founded in 1957, advocates for the rights of animals, free-living and domestic around the world. www.friendsofanimals.org
