This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Pet Sterilization Aid Available Again

Hillsborough County Animal Services again is providing vouchers to help residents with limited incomes spay and neuter their pets. sterilization surgery for their owned pets from dozens of participating clinics and veterinarians.

Voucher applications for pet owners on limited incomes, seeking to spay and neuter their pets, are again being accepted.

Despite its success, Hillsborough County Animal Services a few weeks ago had temporarily stopped issuing new vouchers to assess available funding.

Yet the program desperately was needed “to reduce pet overpopulation and improve public safety and the state of humane animal welfare,” said Marti Ryan, a spokesperson with Hillsborough County Animal Services.

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“It’s an extremely popular program,” she said, in an interview July 6. “It has grown in usage immensely over the past several years, which is a gigantic comment on the many people involved, from ordinary citizens and animal lovers to the vet community and members of our staff. It’s a lot people staying committed and whittling away at the problem.”

Now, the program is back, and through it Hillsborough County residents who meet qualifying guidelines can obtain sterilization surgery for their owned pets from dozens of participating clinics and veterinarians. 

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Residents must supply an approved voucher and $10 co-payment for service, which includes a rabies vaccination and pet registration tag.

In a press release on the program, it was noted that a national spay/neuter expert, commissioned to assess the county’s voucher program, reported it to be one of the most progressive and successful in the nation.

In addition to reducing pet overpopulation and the spread of disease, spaying and neutering reduces unwanted pet behaviors (including aggression), dog bites and the incidence of certain cancers in animals.

To Get Pet Sterilization Assistance

Residents must supply an approved voucher and $10 co-payment for service, which includes a rabies vaccination and pet registration tag. 

Application forms, program guidelines, suggested documentation needed for application approval and a list of participating veterinary clinics are all listed on the county website. 

The voucher applications (in English and Spanish) are also available at Hillsborough County Animal Services, 440 North Falkenburg Road, in the Greater Brandon section of Tampa ZIP code 33619).

Expiration Date Change

The pet's surgery must be obtained within 30 days of the voucher’s issuance.  Pet owners are encouraged to contact any and all participating veterinary clinics as necessary in order to schedule appointments within the 30-day window.

Program Particulars

The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners approved the low-cost spay/neuter voucher program in 2002 and funded it through the sales of pet registration tags.

The program helps animal services achieve its core missions for animal welfare and public safety while promoting responsible pet ownership. 

For more information on the benefits of spaying/neutering pets or the voucher program, contact Hillsborough County Animal Services at 813-744-5660 or visit the agency’s web site. 

The agency also has an 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?