Why Are There No Spay/Neuter Appointments?
If you’ve tried to schedule a low-cost spay or neuter appointment recently, you may have felt frustrated, even angry.
Appointments fill within hours. Phone messages don’t change for weeks. Websites don’t update as quickly as you’d hope. It can feel like clinics have disappeared.
But they haven’t.
The truth is both simpler, and more complicated, than it appears.
We spoke with OAA’s Board Member, Dr. Michelle “Dr. G” Gonzalez of the Rascal Unit to better understand what’s really happening behind the scenes.
The Math: Demand Far Exceeds Capacity
Franklin County alone is home to an estimated 330,000 dogs and 300,000 cats. Statewide, those numbers rise into the millions.
And how many clinics in Ohio are dedicated specifically to low-cost veterinary care?
About a dozen.
At the Rascal Unit, approximately 13,000 surgeries are performed each year. That’s an extraordinary number for a single clinic. On any given clinic day, staff safely perform 30 to 50 surgeries, a volume carefully determined by what their medical team can manage responsibly.
When you compare those numbers to the scale of need, the gap becomes clear.
The issue isn’t that clinics aren’t working. It’s that there are not enough of them.
“Why Don’t You Just Add More Appointments?”
It’s a fair question, and one Dr. G hears often.
Surgery always carries risk. Each patient requires careful monitoring, trained staff, appropriate anesthesia protocols, and post-operative care. Increasing volume beyond what staff can safely manage would compromise animal welfare.
“Responsible medicine has limits,” Dr. G explains. “We will not increase surgical volume beyond what allows every patient to receive attentive, safe care.”
Low-cost should never mean low-quality.
It’s Not Just a Funding Problem
Many assume that if more money were available, the issue would disappear. But access isn’t only about dollars.
Ohio has more than 2,000 veterinary clinics. Yet only a small fraction provide dedicated low-cost services. The veterinary profession nationwide is facing:
Workforce shortages
Technician shortages
Burnout
Increasing operational costs
Limited incentives for low-cost specialization
“You can have all the money in the world,” Dr. G says, “but if there isn’t service available, it doesn’t matter.”
We are facing an infrastructure shortage, not just a budget shortage.
Understanding the Anger
When pet owners can’t access care, the consequences are immediate and personal. Cats go into heat. Behavioral issues escalate. Unplanned litters occur. Financial stress increases. Owners feel helpless.
That frustration is real and it deserves empathy.
Dr. G doesn’t take angry emails personally. “I understand where their anger comes from,” she says. “They’re trying to do the right thing.” The anger is not about one clinic. It’s about a system that cannot currently meet demand.
So What Would Actually Fix This?
Long-term change requires structural investment, including:
Workforce development and veterinary pipeline expansion
Loan repayment incentives for low-cost practitioners
Increased public funding for spay/neuter services
Expanded clinic infrastructure
Legislative support for access initiatives
Organizations like Ohio Pet Fund are working to increase available resources. But funding must be paired with trained professionals and clinic capacity.
This is not a quick fix. It is a systemic challenge.
What You Can Do
1. Visit our Statewide Directory for low-cost spay/neuter services and other accessible care resources in your area.
2. If you’re frustrated, you are not alone. Instead of directing anger at clinics operating at capacity, consider ways to create lasting change:
Support organizations that fund low-cost care
Advocate for legislative investment in veterinary access
Encourage early spay/neuter before litters occur
Share accurate information about appointment release systems
Volunteer or donate to local animal welfare organizations
3. Sign up for our newsletter to receive OAA alerts and updates delivered straight to your inbox.
