ACT NOW: California Needs a Spay/Neuter Prevention Fund
Deadline to Introduce Bills: February 20
California’s animal crisis is escalating — and we have a short, critical window to stop it at the source.
Across the state, shelters are overflowing, rescues are stretched beyond capacity, and adoptable animals are being euthanized simply because there is nowhere left to put them. This is not a failure of compassion — it is a failure of prevention.
Right now, California spends over $460 million every year operating approximately 153 public animal shelters. Yet without a serious investment in spay and neuter services, the flow of unplanned, unwanted animals into the system never slows.
Spay and neuter is the single most effective, humane, and cost-efficient solution — and California is falling behind.
The Problem
Shelters, rescuers across California are experiencing:
- Severe shelter overcrowding
- Rising euthanasia of adoptable animals
- Preventable disease outbreaks
- Long waitlists or total lack of access to low-cost spay/neuter and vaccination services
Many families want to do the right thing but simply cannot afford spay or neuter surgery — especially for large dogs, where costs can exceed $1,000. When prevention fails, shelters and taxpayers absorb the consequences.
This cycle is fiscally unsustainable and morally unacceptable.
The Solution: A California Spay/Neuter Fund (Prevention First)
We are calling on legislators to introduce a California Spay/Neuter Fund, modeled on prior legislation (AB 240) and proven programs in other states, the Bill draft is already submitted.
This fund would:
- Invest upstream to prevent unplanned litters before animals enter shelters
- Provide low- and no-cost spay/neuter services statewide
- Prioritize communities with the highest shelter intake and euthanasia rates
- Reduce long-term costs for shelters, cities, and taxpayers
For every $1 spent on spay/neuter, many more dollars are saved in animal control, sheltering, veterinary care, and euthanasia costs.
Five other states already operate spay-neuter funds with documented success.
California can — and should — lead.
Why This Moment Matters
- New bills for 2026 must be introduced by February 20
- Several legislators have already said they will co-author this bill
- What’s missing is a primary author willing to lead
Legislative offices consistently tell us the same thing:
“We need to hear from our constituents.”
That means you.
TAKE ACTION TODAY
Contact Your Legislators
Please contact your State Assemblymember and State Senator and Request them to:
- Author or lead a California Spay/Neuter Fund bill
- Prioritize prevention over crisis response
- Act before the February 20 deadline
Animal Rescuers for Change (ARFC)
A statewide coalition advocating for transparency, prevention, and humane animal policies in California
News on this topic:
An assemblyman from California has introduced a bill aimed at safeguarding animals from euthanasia, ensuring that every adoptable pet receives an opportunity to be rehomed…
The suspense file hearing in the California Legislature, happening twice a year, determines the fate of numerous bills without public debate, leaving many bill authors and interested parties frustrated…
During the holiday season, it’s tough for shelters. Adoptions drop, and places like the Bakersfield Animal Care Center and the county pound are feeling the strain…
