Spay & Neuter Services
Pets are family, and cost should never stand in the way of them receiving essential veterinary care. Through our Mobile Community Medicine & Spay/Neuter Outreach program, C.A.R.E.4Paws offers free, donation-based and low-cost spay/neuter surgeries for pet families across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Our goal is to meet families where they are to improve animal welfare and reduce pet overpopulation.
Pricing & Eligibility
Our three pricing tiers are designed to support families and ensure pets can receive the care they need.
Free or donation-based services
This is for families experiencing significant financial hardship. If covering the cost of care is not possible right now, you may qualify for free or pay-what-you-can services. Apply here.
Low-cost services
This is for families who can contribute a reduced fee but still require financial assistance to bridge the gap. View our pricing for qualifying low-income families below.
Affordable public pricing
We offer lower cost surgeries for families who do not need income-based assistance. These fees help sustain our programs and expand access to care for others. Scroll down to view pricing.
Spay/neuter pricing for qualifying low-income families
Dogs
| Weight | Spay (female) | Neuter (male) |
| Under 50 pounds | $150 | $125 |
| 50 – 75 pounds | $175 | $150 |
| 75+ pounds | $200 | $175 |
Cats
| Spay (female) | Neuter (male) | |
| $100 | $75 |
An E-collar (“cone”) and take-home pain medication are included in the surgery price. Additional fees may apply based on your pet’s individual medical or surgical needs.
We now provide interest-free loans that allow you to pay for your pet’s spay/neuter surgery over time.
Affordable public spay/neuter pricing
Dogs
| Weight | Spay (female) | Neuter (male) |
| Under 50 pounds | $200 | $175 |
| 50 – 75 pounds | $275 | $250 |
| 75+ pounds | $325 | $300 |
Cats
| Spay (female) | Neuter (male) | |
| $150 | $100 |
An E-collar (“cone”) and take-home pain medication are included in the surgery price. Additional fees may apply based on your pet’s individual medical or surgical needs.
Large female dogs and brachycephalic dog breeds
Our mobile clinics have limited availability for spay/neuter surgeries for large female dogs and brachycephalic breeds (short-nosed, flat-faced dogs). To avoid delays and prevent unwanted litters, we recommend scheduling surgery as soon as possible with a local humane society (sbhumane.org, syvhumane.org, woodshumane.org).
If needed, our team can help guide you through scheduling, and we may be able to assist financially, depending on your situation.
Please fill out the form below and a team member will follow up.
Deposit Policy for Appointments
To help us serve as many pets as possible and reduce missed appointments, C.A.R.E.4Paws requires a deposit when scheduling services. As a nonprofit, we rely on donations and grants to keep our clinics affordable for low-income pet families. Last-minute cancellations or no-shows prevent other pets from receiving care and limit how many animals we can help each day.
How it works:
We understand that emergencies and unexpected situations can happen. If you need to cancel, please call or text (805) 968-2273 at least 24 hours before your appointment. If notice is not given in time, your deposit will be applied as payment for the spot we reserved for your pet. A new deposit will be required when rescheduling.
Deposit prices:
Cat spay/neuter, $50
Dog spay/neuter, $50
Deposit details:
Your deposit is credited toward the final cost of your appointment.
To make sure everyone has fair access to our services, clients who cancel more than three times may not be eligible to reschedule.
We appreciate your understanding and help in keeping appointments available for all the pets in our community.
For access to vaccines and other low-cost pet wellness services, click below.
Benefits of Spaying/Neutering
Spaying and neutering is an important decision for families to make for their animal’s long-term health, behavior and the community’s welfare. The surgical procedure prevents serious health issues, such as deadly cancers and life-threatening infections like pyometra, and significantly reduces a female pet’s chance of developing mammary cancer by nearly 100% when performed before the first heat cycle. Behaviorally, it lessens unwanted issues like excessive roaming, territory marking and loud vocalizations associated with mating instincts. Most critically, altering your pet is the only effective way to reduce pet overpopulation, which leads to millions of healthy animals entering shelters each year.
