02/25/2025
GREAT NEWS in Delaware!
Low-income pet owners in Delaware can now have their pets spayed and/or neutered
for FREE. The state of Delaware has waived the $20 co-pay and raised the pet
per household limit from one, to five pets per family. This is the direct result of Faithful Friends' work to establish the state’s spay/neuter fund.
Thank you to Faithful Friends Animal Society for helping low-income pet owners spay and neuter their pets:
Faithful Friends spearheaded the creation and passage of House Bill 263, which increased the annual registration fee for pet food manufacturers. The fee increase directly supports Delaware’s Office of Animal Welfare spay/neuter fund which combats pet homelessness and overpopulation state-wide. Today, the fund coupled with the 2006 first spay neuter rabies surcharge, Faithful Friends also led, has grown this important fund to over $1 million.
Low-income pet owners aren’t the only ones benefiting. The increase in funds also results in much-needed new spay/neuter grants for stray/feral cat caretakers. This means Good Samaritans across the state can get stray and feral cats altered for free. In addition, shelters can be reimbursed up to $50,000 a year to spay/neuter surrendered and stray animals before they are adopted.
A strong, well-funded spay/neuter program is the biggest way to impact pet
overpopulation and unwanted litters and address many problem behaviors, according to
the United Spay Alliance.