Let’s Talk Truth: Spay/Neuter Has to Be the Priority Again
From the Desk of Janet Showley, Development & Outreach Manager
Indiana shelters and rescues are running full tilt—treating sick animals, juggling overcrowded kennels, stretching staff to the limit. But here’s the truth we can’t ignore any longer: we’re spending all our energy treating the symptoms of overpopulation, while the root cause is being sidelined.
The latest report from Shelter Animals Count (https://www.shelteranimalscount.org/altered-status-data-report) confirms what many of us are already seeing on the ground: fewer animals are arriving already spayed or neutered. Since 2019, those numbers have plummeted—down to just 22% for both dogs and cats in 2023. That means more litters, more surrenders, more pressure on a system that’s already maxed out.
We cannot adopt, foster, or transport our way out of the overpopulation crisis. If we want real, lasting change in Indiana animal welfare, spay/neuter must move back to the front of the line.
Yes, national funding for spay/neuter is scarce—but prevention remains the smartest investment we can make. The good news? There are many creative ways we can act locally:
- Integrate spay/neuter into your messaging. Ask your marketing team to share educational posts on social media. Great topics include United Spay Alliance’s Fix by Five initiative for cats in addition to the behavioral and medical benefits of spay/neuter.
- Educate at every opportunity. Talk with adopters who have unaltered pets at home, start a school program on responsible pet ownership, or join community events where you can highlight the importance of spay/neuter. You can share this handout that explains the importance and benefits of spay/neuter.
- Launch a low-cost spay/neuter clinic. You don’t have to be a large shelter to make this happen! Resources: Feral Cat Project and ASPCApro.
- Organize transports. Help community-owned animals reach the nearest spay/neuter clinic. Transportation is often one of the biggest barriers to care.
- Promote financial assistance. Point low-income families to our “Additional Spay/Neuter Resources” information page: https://petfriendlyservices.org/spay-neuter-services/additional-resources/
- Partners, please provide any input or changes for your county resources on our “Spay/Neuter Resources by County” guide. Email Rhi@petfriendlyservices.org
- Support TNR and mobile clinics. Back trap-neuter-return efforts for community cats and collaborate to bring mobile clinics (www.pub.vet – statewide and www.4directionsvet.org- NE Indiana) to underserved areas.
- Create a local spay/neuter fund. Ask supporters to donate directly to a fund your organization can distribute to those who need help most.
- Engage local veterinarians. Encourage them to join the Pet Friendly Network or to host low-cost spay/neuter days for families who might otherwise go without.
Spay/neuter isn’t just a program—it’s the foundation. If we want to stop drowning in intake, we have to turn off the faucet. The time to refocus is now.
Your Shelter/Rescue is Invited to "Love Them for Life" at Tom Wood Subaru!
Pet Friendly Services is hosting a BIG adoption event, and we’d love for your organization to be part of it! Join us for the Love Them For Life Adoption Event on Saturday, October 4 at Tom Wood Subaru in Indianapolis.
This fun, high-visibility event will bring together animal lovers from across Central Indiana—creating the perfect opportunity to showcase your adoptable pets and connect them with loving families.
Here’s what’s in it for your rescue:
- $25 Adoption Fee Discount to help encourage adoptions (you’ll be reimbursed for the discount!)
- FREE lunch for your team and attendees
- Up to 2 FREE spay/neuter vouchers from Pet Friendly Services to ensure your animals are adoption-ready
Event Details:
- Where: Tom Wood Subaru, 3300 E 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240
- When: Saturday, October 4 | 11 AM – 2 PM
Spots are limited, so if you’d like to participate, please apply soon to reserve your space.
Indiana's First HQHVSN Wet Lab: A BIG Success!
Pet Friendly Services was proud to coordinate the state’s first-ever feline High Quality, High Volume, Spay/Neuter (HQHVSN) Wet Lab, in partnership with Humane Society of Elkhart County and United Spay Alliance. Six veterinarians received hands-on training from experts in the field — Dr. Kari Kryder and Dr. M. August Murphy– learning surgical skills they can now take back to their daily practice or use to support local spay/neuter programs.
This was more than a workshop—it’s part of a national movement to increase access to affordable and timely spay/neuter services, directly addressing pet overpopulation and supporting community animal welfare efforts.
HUGE thanks to Elkhart Humane for hosting in their beautiful new surgical wing. Forty cats were fixed at the wet lab – and COUNTLESS more will be fixed by the valuable skills the veterinarians learned!
We are already making plans for a second wet lab. If you or a veterinarian you know would like to be notified about upcoming wet labs, please email our partners at United Spay Alliance: info@unitedspayalliance.org.
Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Zoom training
The Bissell Pet Foundation is excited to announce that enrollment is now open for our Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Zoom training, led by Tiffany Leader. This training is completely free— they just ask that participants commit to attending all sessions.
Organizations are invited to nominate one or two staff members to participate. The training consists of 8 sessions over 4 weeks, with one coaching session and one training session each week. These sessions are designed to be interactive and supportive, with a focus on building resilience and emotional well-being.
What Participants Will Learn:
- Types and effects of emotional burden (Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, Attachment)
- Tools for managing emotional stress (brain and body techniques)
- How to use the Outcome Formula™ to understand the impact of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
- The Take a Moment™ practice for building resilience
- How to create sustainable wellness habits for shelter staff
- Developing a plan for managing acute emotional burden
We recommend selecting staff who are outgoing, compassionate, and well-connected with their teams. Based on feedback, we’re allowing up to two participants per organization to ensure the training is manageable and impactful. Group sizes will remain small to encourage open sharing and full participation.
To enroll, please email samantha.harter@bissell.com with the name and email address of the staff member(s) you’d like to register.
Indiana Board of Animal Health Updates
The Asian Longhorned Tick which has now been identified in six Indiana counties—Dearborn, Dubois, Spencer, Switzerland, Ohio, and Hendricks. The tick is now considered established in Dearborn County following the death of an adult cow, as a result of an infestation. State medical entomologists are seeking help from property owners in southern counties along the Ohio River to allow tick surveillance to track the spread. These ticks feed on a wide range of animals, including dogs, cats, cattle, deer, goats, and even humans.
“Bobcat Fever” (not caused by Bobcats) cases have been confirmed in Southern Indiana. The disease is caused by a parasite that spreads to domestic cats via a tick bite. Clinical signs usually develop within 10 days after the tick bite and may include lethargy, lack of appetite, fever, difficulty breathing, anemia and seizures. Death may result within 2–3 days after the detection of fever without medical intervention. Flea and tick preventative is the most effective protection.
You can read more about both of these topics and what they mean for your pet, here.
Looking for more Grant Opportunities?
Pet Friendly Services maintains a list of grant opportunities for animal welfare organizations.
Each grant has different requirements, deadlines, and application processes, so please review the linked websites to determine which opportunities best fit your organization’s needs.
We know times are challenging, and requests for spay/neuter assistance are higher than ever. We hope this guide helps connect you with more funding opportunities to continue your lifesaving work.
Thank you for all that you do!
A Call to Action For Indiana's Animal Lovers
In recent weeks, we’ve seen two truly disturbing animal cruelty cases right here in Indiana:
Elkhart – Jayco RV Facility:
Workers were accused of putting live cats into a trash compactor. Although charges were initially filed, they were later dropped—prompting public outcry and calls for justice.
Kokomo/Indianapolis – Serial Offender:
A woman previously convicted of animal cruelty has now been charged again after allegedly harming more animals.
These cases are painful reminders that animal cruelty is real—and often repeat behavior. We must work together to ensure people in our animal welfare and legal systems are educated, empowered, and equipped to take action.
That’s why we urge all animal advocates to share this important training opportunity with:
- Prosecutors
- Judges
- Law enforcement
- Animal control officers
- Veterinarians
- Anyone involved in animal cruelty investigations or prosecution
PA’s 14th National Animal Cruelty Prosecution Conference
November 5-7 | Pittsburgh, PA
Event & Registration Info: https://members.apainc.org/events/Details/apa-14th-national-animal-cruelty-prosecution-conference-1353151
Reminder: Be Social With Us! Join our Partner Facebook Group
Join us! We’ve created a Facebook Group to help connect employees or key representatives of animal shelters, rescues, TNR Groups, veterinary professionals, and other members of the animal welfare community that are current partners with Pet Friendly Services of Indiana. Individual profiles and profiles of organizations are welcomed as members to the group and can contribute to meaningful conversations and receive important updates about animal welfare.
FREE Advertising: Showcase Your Adoption Events!
Shelters and rescues can now reach more adopters with our public adoption event calendar—a central hub for showcasing upcoming adoption events and specials across Indiana.
Whether you’re hosting a fee-reduced event, a breed-specific adoption day, or a senior pet showcase, this calendar makes it easier for pet lovers to find and attend your events. It’s completely free, so don’t miss this opportunity to boost visibility and help more pets find loving homes. Add your events today!
Help Spread the Word!
You can help by spreading the word about driving with the Pet Friendly Plate!
Without this lifesaving plate, our support of your programs wouldn’t be possible. The Pet Friendly Plate is a game changer for Indiana! It’s a shared resource for all of our shelters and rescues. The more plates we sell, the more lives we save!
Share this graphic! Right click and select “Save Image As” on your desktop, or tap the image and select “Save to Photos” on your phone – and then share it on social media to help more people learn about the Pet Friendly Plate!
Here’s a suggested caption:
“Save lives while you drive! Every Pet Friendly Plate helps fund spay/neuter programs that save lives across Indiana. Our organization receives support from Pet Friendly Services and this specialty plate. You’re TRULY making a difference when you drive with the Pet Friendly Plate! Learn about how to get yours at www.PetFriendlyPlate.org”
Our Contact Information
Pet Friendly Services of Indiana
1100 W 42nd Street, Suite 205
Indianapolis, IN 46208
317-767-7771
http://PetFriendlyServices.org
