A Perfect Storm…

Every year, millions of cats and dogs enter shelters across the U.S.—and far too many never make it out. For decades, the solution has been clear: spay and neuter. Preventing unwanted litters is the single most effective way to reduce the number of homeless pets. So why are we still overwhelmed?

Because today, we’re facing more barriers to spay/neuter success than ever before—and most of them aren’t being talked about enough.

The Cost of Care Has Skyrocketed

The price of spay and neuter surgeries has increased dramatically. Between inflation, rising wages (which are deserved and necessary), and supply chain disruptions, even basic surgeries now cost significantly more. Nonprofits and shelters—already stretched thin—simply can’t keep up with the demand, especially in communities where the need is greatest.

We Don’t Have Enough Veterinarians

Veterinary shortages are now a nationwide crisis. As older vets retire, not enough new ones are entering the field, especially in rural or underserved areas. And those who do are often overwhelmed, booked out for weeks or months. Some are unable to take on low-cost spay/neuter services at all. This bottleneck slows everything down—while animals continue to multiply.

Shelter Systems Are Strained—and Sometimes Divided

We don’t like to talk about it, but it needs to be said: within the animal welfare community, there's sometimes infighting. Different philosophies, funding priorities, or local politics can divide shelters and rescues that should be allies. While most people are doing the best they can under intense pressure, this lack of unity can undercut our collective impact—especially when it comes to spay/neuter programs that require coordination and shared goals.

Shelters Are Closing—Just When We Need Them Most

Across the country, some shelters are closing their doors—whether due to funding gaps, staff burnout, or policy changes. The safety nets for animals are fraying. Fewer shelters means fewer places offering low-cost surgeries, fewer animals being sterilized, and fewer options for people who want to do the right thing but can’t afford private clinic prices.

There’s Not Enough Money Earmarked for Prevention

It’s hard to raise funds for things that don’t have a dramatic before-and-after photo. But spay and neuter is the solution—it just takes time to show the results. Unfortunately, prevention doesn’t always pull at donor heartstrings like emergency rescue stories do. As a result, spay/neuter programs remain underfunded, especially those trying to reach owned pets in low-income homes or community cats in under-resourced neighborhoods.

Volunteers Are Harder to Find

This isn’t just an animal welfare issue—it’s affecting fire departments, food banks, and youth programs too. Fewer people are volunteering their time, and that means fewer hands on deck to transport animals, assist at clinics, or spread the word in local communities. The goodwill is still out there—but people are tired, financially stretched, and pulled in every direction.

What’s more, many of the longtime volunteers who built the foundation of these efforts are now aging out. These are folks who showed up year after year, often without recognition, and now they need others to carry the torch. While there are younger generations stepping up—and we’re grateful for them—we need more hands and hearts across every age group to keep these vital programs running strong.

So What Do We Do?

We face a hard truth: even though we know spay and neuter works, the system around it is collapsing. But this isn’t a moment to give up—it’s a moment to get smart, get creative, and come together.

At PennyFix, we believe there is a better way. By creating a reliable, sustainable funding stream—like a one-penny surcharge on each can of pet food sold—we can direct real resources into the hands of the clinics and shelters doing the work. No bake sales, no begging. Just pennies turned into prevention.

And it’s not just about companies. Individuals can make a huge difference, too. Imagine if every pet lover donated just one penny a day—just 30 cents a month. It’s a small ask, but multiplied across a caring community, it adds up to real, life-saving impact.

But we need more than just funding. We need collaboration. We need to support our veterinarians. We need to stop tearing each other down and start lifting each other up. And we need to recognize that spay and neuter isn’t just one program at one shelter—it’s the foundation of everything we hope to build.

If we want fewer animals in cages, we have to invest in keeping them from being born into suffering in the first place.

It’s time to talk about the hard stuff—and then do something about it.

Let’s build a future where prevention gets the priority it deserves.

[See also: “We Can’t Save Them All. But What If We Could Spay Them All?” “Are More Shelters the Answer?” “Why Spaying and Neutering Matters…”]