I am a resident of LA County who recently rescued an abandoned kitten. As a responsible pet owner, I wanted to get my new feline friend spayed, only to discover that the procedure would cost me over $1,100.

That amount has opened my eyes to a larger issue - the lack of affordable spay and neuter services for pets in Los Angeles. There are likely thousands of pet owners in LA who have not had their animals spayed or neutered because of these exorbitant costs.

Spaying and neutering pets is crucial for controlling the pet population and reducing the number of animals in shelters. According to the ASPCA, millions of healthy dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the US due to overpopulation issues. By making spaying and neutering more affordable, we can significantly reduce this number while also reducing the strain on animal shelters and our collective tax dollars that fund them.

We believe that veterinarians should view spay/neuter procedures as acts of community service rather than opportunities for profit. Most of these procedures take less than half an hour, yet many vets charge fees that put them out of reach for average pet owners.

We propose that veterinarians in LA county be required to offer this one service at prices slightly above cost, with a capped fee for their time. Please sign this petition if you believe all pet owners deserve affordable access to spaying and neutering.