As an open-admission shelter that never turns a pet away, the Humane Society must drastically reduce the number of animals entering the shelter if the goal of zero euthanasia is to be reached. Spaying and neutering is the answer.

Cinderella Fund

Do you have a pet that needs to be spayed or neutered, but you can’t afford the cost of the surgery? You may qualify for the Cinderella Fund, a low-cost spay/neuter program available through the Humane Society.

Funded solely through donations from our generous community, the Cinderella Fund has provided more than 25,000 surgeries for pets of low-income families since 1994. Without this program, these pets would otherwise have had litter after litter of puppies and kittens, simply because their owners could not afford the surgery. The Cinderella Fund has helped the Humane Society dramatically reduce pet overpopulation in Pierce County, and continues to be a vital program for ending euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals.

» Download a Cinderella Fund Application - PDF

Coalition: HUMAnE

The Coalition: HUMAnE high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter clinic is located at South 21st Street and Tacoma Avenue, in downtown Tacoma. Coalition: HUMAnE promotes and provides low cost spay and neuter services for pet cats and dogs and feral cats in an effort to stop the killing of companion animals due to overpopulation.

» Go to CoalitionHumane.org

Pit Bull Owners

The Responsi-Bull Project offers FREE spay and neuter, a FREE responsible pit bull ownership workshop, and FREE obedience classes for Pit Bulls and their owners. http://www.bullseyerescue.org/responsibull.htm

Pet Overpopulation MYTHinformation

Pet overpopulation is the top reason pets are left homeless, abandoned and too often euthanized. And while the reasons people don’t spay/neuter pets vary, the reasons tend to be based more on myths than facts. MYTHinformation includes:

• Myth: It’s too expensive.
• Fixing your pet saves money over time and The Humane Society offers financial assistance for low income families.
• Myth: It will change the pet’s behavior.
• Fixing your pet makes him or her a more affectionate companion. Dogs are still protective, male cats will stop spraying and female cats will be less likely to roam.
• Myth: It will make the pet fat or lazy.
• Fixing your pet doesn’t affect his or her weight or activity level.
• Myth: It’s better for a female pet to have one litter first.
• Spaying a female pet before she has her first heat reduces health problem and reduces the cost for the spay procedure.
• Myth: It will make their male dog or cat feel less like a male.
• Research has shown that pets have no concept of sexual identity or ego.
• Myth: They will be able to find good homes for all the puppies and kittens from a litter.
• The Humane Society frequently shelters puppies and kittens whose owners have been unable to find them homes. Sadly, more than 1,000 puppies and kittens were euthanized in 2007.
• Myth: It’s unnatural to prevent a pet from breeding.
• Domesticating dogs and cats is already an unnatural process.
• Myth: It will make the dog less protective.
• Spaying or neutering a dog doesn’t affect its natural instincts to protect, nor does it change its personality.

» Download the MYTHinformation Fact Sheet - PDF

"Countdown to Zero" Agenda

The Humane Society is "Counting Down to Zero" euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets. Despite the combined efforts of compassionate and vigilant volunteers and employees, the Humane Society was forced to euthanize 1,680 healthy, adoptable pets in 2008.

The Humane Society never turns a pet away. In 2008, over fourteen thousand animals were abandoned, lost or unwanted and found shelter at the Humane Society. This means the shelter opened its doors to an average of 1,200 animals a month, 50 animals a day..

» Find an Adoptable Pet Online