Spay/Neuter & Vaccination Clinic       

• Vaccinations - Vaccinations are an important piece to your pet’s health.  All pets that enter our clinic for spay/neuter must be vaccinated by a licensed Veterinarian.  If you have proof of these vaccines please bring those documents with you to your appointment.  Proof of a Rabies vaccination includes a certificate that signed by a licensed veterinarian stating the owners name, address, dog or cats description, date of vaccination, manufacturer and serial number of the vaccine used and the date revaccination is due. These requirements are required by the State of Arizona and can be found at azleg.gov/ars/11/01010.html. 

        Rabies Vaccinations given by a Veterinarian in Mexico are NOT permitted.

• • Other vaccinations required are DA2PP for dogs and FVRCP for cats. Proof of these vaccination can be in the form of a certificate form the administering Veterinarian or a receipt showing the date given and the date the vaccination is due.
  • If your pet does not have the required vaccinations, or proof of at the time of surgery, the Humane Society of Yuma will administer those vaccinations. The cost of those vaccinations will be the owner’s responsibility and will be due at the time of surgery.

• Microchipping - Surgery is the perfect time to have your pet microchipped. Microchipping allows your pet to be returned to you in the quickest possible manner should he or she get lost.  Placing a microchip is very simple procedure and even easier when you pet is asleep.  A very small microchip, the size of a grain of rice, is injected under the skin between the shoulder blades of your pets.  The information is retrieved using a microchip scanner. Scanners are located in various location around Yuma County.  For a list of those locations please visit hsoyuma.com/microchips.html.

• Food and water - Do not feed your pet any food or treats after midnight the night prior to surgery.  Water is ok, just take the water away in the morning prior to surgery.   If your pet is on medication, please consult with our office or your Veterinarian prior to surgery as to whether you should give that medication the morning of surgery.

• E-Collars - Pets licking their incisions is the number one complication with routine spay and neuter surgeries. We require all pets leave with some sort of protective covering or Elizabethan collar.  Full body coverings are a great way to keep your pet safe without a huge collar.  Please see our staff at the front desk for more information on either product.

• Arriving the day of surgery - Be sure your dog is properly secured on a leash and cats are in a carrier for their safety. When you arrive there will be several other patients waiting to be checked into our clinic.  Please allow at least 45 minutes to one hour for you to check your pet in with one of our nurses. 
  • If your pet displays fearful behavior towards other animals and/or people, please bring your pet in wearing a basket muzzle. You may also contact our clinic prior to your appointment for medication to sedate your pet prior to their visit.
  • When meeting with one of our nurses, your will be offered a range of additional services that include nail trimming, heartworm testing and more. While these services are not required, all recommendations are in the best interest of your pet and with the intent of keeping your pet healthy for years to come.
  • If your female pet is in heat or pregnant, or your male pet has one or both testicles undescended (cryptorchid) and is accepted for surgery additional fees will apply.

Once your pet is able to go home, one of our staff members will call you with a time to come to the shelter.  Normally that time is between 2-4pm.  Please be aware, that the staff may call you to come earlier or later for several reasons so please do your best to have your phone with you at all times.

Financial Assistance

Thanks to several generous funders such as the Arizona Pet License Plate, we are able to offer financial assistance to families who are experiencing financial hardship.  We cannot guarantee that funding will be available at all times, but our team is ready to discuss options.  If you are in need of financial assistance, please email us at spayneuter@hsoyuma.com.  Please note, financial assistance is intended for those truly facing hardships, please only request this assistance if you are truly in need. In some cases grant funding will only cover a portion of your pet’s surgery and a $50 deposit will still be required to book the appointment.

We also accept Scratch Pay.  

Please note that spay/neuter appointments can often be booked out several weeks or months in advance.

Our cancellation policy: a 48 hour notice is required for cancelling or rescheduling to be able to have the deposit transferred to another appointment. No-shows will forfeit their deposit and are not eligible to have their deposit reinstated.

Why Spay/Neuter

Spaying or neutering your pet is an important decision for pet owners. As animal lovers who value our pets, it is important to understand the impact of this decision.

Behavior Benefits - Neutering greatly reduces your pet's desire to escape, decreasing the chance of getting hit by a car, getting in a fight with another dog, or ending up at the shelter. Undesirable behaviors such as 'mounting' objects and the constant need to mark territory may diminish. Spaying your female cat will eliminate many nuisances associated with her heat cycle, such as her pitiful cries and the gathering of tom cats.

Health Benefits - A neutered male's chance of developing prostate tumors, infections, and enlargement are greatly reduced if altered six months or younger. Spaying your female pet prior to her first heat reduces the likelihood of mammary tumors to 1%--versus 50% for unspayed females. Also, spaying nearly eliminates the chance of developing uterine cancers and infections, a common cause of death among unspayed females. Your pet's stress level, which increases disease susceptibility, will also be significantly lowered by spaying or neutering.