"Phil P." wrote in message
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"Meghan Noecker" wrote in message
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It would be great to get help with vet costs for altering pets, but no
vet would ever go along with mandatory altering without owners'
consent.

There are low income assistance programs available at some shelters, and
we've had some success in getting landlords to require spay/neuter instead
of declaw on resident cats.

Btw, I think most (if not all) large shelters DO alter before an animal is
made available for adoption, or at the very least before they go home. I
know a few middle-of-nowhere shelters that do this as well, even though the
animals have to be transported an hour each way to get the surgery done.
We're lucky enough to have a fantastic vet school in town, and some of the
students come in and even spay and neuter rats for us, now and then.