A Jack Russell Terrier pup, taken on July 20, 2008. (Photo by Peter Travers/PhotoPlus Magazine/Future via Getty Images)
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has launched a new statewide initiative to provide low-cost spay and neuter services for dogs and cats, backed by $13 million in legislative funding.
Texas launches $13 million pilot program:
Big picture view:
The two-year pilot program, known as the Texas Spay and Neuter Program (TxSNP), awarded grant funds to 38 veterinarians to conduct sterilization procedures across both urban and rural communities. The department selected these providers from a pool of 119 applications submitted from across the state.
To qualify for the program, awardees were required to demonstrate an ability to provide high-volume, high-quality, and low-cost services. Additionally, all selected entities must employ or subcontract a veterinarian with extensive sterilization experience who has been licensed by the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners for at least one year.
(Photo by Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
The veterinarian will be reimbursed $300 per spay and $250 per neuter for dogs, and $200 per spay and $125 per neuter for cats.
Eligible populations for these services include pets owned by Texas residents, as well as animals currently in the custody of rescue organizations, shelters, and governmental agencies, such as animal control departments.
Funding was distributed to a diverse group of providers, including animal shelters, veterinary clinics, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies. Coverage spans a vast portion of the state, with vendors serving a wide range of counties:
- North Texas: Organizations like Noah's Paw Animal Rescue and the Humane Society of North Texas cover heavily populated areas including Dallas, Tarrant, and Collin counties.
- South Texas: People Assisting Animal Control and Beeville Veterinary Hospital serve coastal and southern regions such as Nueces, Bee, and San Patricio counties.
- West Texas: Groups including Companions Humane Society and Fix West Texas provide services to expansive areas including Midland, Ector, and El Paso counties.
- Central Texas: Feralife and the Hill Country Animal League offer coverage for Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, among others.
Texas Spay & Neuter Pilot Program Awardee Location and Coverage Area
Beyond controlling the animal population, DSHS officials noted that these procedures reduce health risks to humans and can lower the risk of cancer and other diseases in pets. Research indicates that spayed and neutered animals typically live longer lives.
The TxSNP operates alongside the existing Texas Animal Friendly Program, which supports low-cost surgeries through the sale of specialty "Animal Friendly" Texas license plates.The following locations and contractors are participating in the Texas Spay and Neuter Program (TxSNP) for the 2026 season:
- Andrews County: Fix West Texas
- Angelina County: Humane Heroes, City of Lufkin Animal Services
- Aransas County: People Assisting Animal Control, Humane Heroes
- Archer County: Wilbarger Humane Society
- Atascosa County: Wilson County Area Alliance
- Austin County: Petset, Columbus Animal Clinic
- Bandera County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center, Friend's Veterinary Clinic PLLC
- Bastrop County: Feralife, Humane Heroes
- Baylor County: Wilbarger Humane Society
- Bee County: People Assisting Animal Control, Beeville Veterinary Hospital
- Bell County: Feralife, Humane Heroes, Little Veterinary Services, Gatesville Animal Clinic, Animal Birth Control Clinic
- Bexar County: Wilson County Area Alliance, Wilson County No Kill Animal Shelter, Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Humane Heroes
- Blanco County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc.
- Borden County: Second Chance Dog Rescue
- Bosque County: Heavenly Purrsuits Rescue, Gatesville Animal Clinic, Animal Birth Control Clinic
- Brazoria County: Brazoria County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Jenni's Rescue Ranch
- Brazos County: Humane Heroes
- Brewster County: Operation Kindness, Companions Humane Society
- Burnet County: Feralife
- Caldwell County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Humane Heroes, FWZGWC PLLC dba Guadalupe Valley Veterinary Clinic
- Cameron County: Operation Kindness
- Chambers County: Petset, Beaumont Pets Alive
- Cherokee County: SPCA of East Texas, Inc.
- Childress County: Wilbarger Humane Society
- Collin County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- Colorado County: Petset, Columbus Animal Clinic
- Comal County: Wilson County Area Alliance, Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Humane Heroes
- Coryell County: Humane Heroes, Gatesville Animal Clinic, Animal Birth Control Clinic
- Crockett County: Companions Humane Society
- Crosby County: Raider Vets Inc., Kat's Alley Cats
- Culberson County: Companions Humane Society
- Dallas County: Humane Society of North Texas, Operation Kindness, Noah's Paw Animal Rescue, Humane Heroes
- Denton County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- Ector County: Companions Humane Society, Raider Vets Inc., Fix West Texas
- Edwards County: Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center, Friend's Veterinary Clinic PLLC
- Ellis County: Heavenly Purrsuits Rescue, Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- El Paso County: Operation Kindness, Companions Humane Society, Humane Society of El Paso
- Falls County: Animal Birth Control Clinic
- Fayette County: Columbus Animal Clinic
- Fisher County: Second Chance Dog Rescue
- Floyd County: Raider Vets Inc., Kat's Alley Cats
- Foard County: Wilbarger Humane Society
- Fort Bend County: Petset, Citizens for Animal Protection, Columbus Animal Clinic, Humane Heroes
- Galveston County: Petset, Humane Heroes
- Gillespie County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Humane Heroes, Friend's Veterinary Clinic PLLC
- Goliad County: Beeville Veterinary Hospital
- Gonzales County: FWZGWC PLLC dba Guadalupe Valley Veterinary Clinic
- Grayson County: Operation Kindness, Humane Heroes
- Gregg County: Humane Heroes, SPCA of East Texas, Inc.
- Grimes County: Operation Pets Alive
- Guadalupe County: Wilson County Area Alliance, Wilson County No Kill Animal Shelter, Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., FWZGWC PLLC dba Guadalupe Valley Veterinary Clinic
- Hale County: Raider Vets Inc., Kat's Alley Cats
- Hamilton County: Gatesville Animal Clinic
- Hardeman County: Wilbarger Humane Society
- Hardin County: Beaumont Pets Alive
- Harris County: Petset, Citizens for Animal Protection, Operation Kindness, Operation Pets Alive, Humane Heroes
- Hays County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Humane Heroes
- Henderson County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue, Humane Heroes, SPCA of East Texas, Inc.
- Hidalgo County: People Assisting Animal Control, Humane Heroes, Palm Valley Animal Society, Paws Fur Help, Inc
- Hill County: Heavenly Purrsuits Rescue, Animal Birth Control Clinic
- Hockley County: Raider Vets Inc., Kat's Alley Cats
- Hood County: Heavenly Purrsuits Rescue, Humane Heroes
- Hunt County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- Hudspeth County: Companions Humane Society
- Jasper County: Beaumont Pets Alive
- Jeff Davis County: Companions Humane Society
- Jefferson County: Humane Heroes, Beaumont Pets Alive
- Jim Wells County: People Assisting Animal Control
- Johnson County: Heavenly Purrsuits Rescue, Humane Society of North Texas, Operation Kindness, Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- Jones County: Companions Humane Society
- Karnes County: Wilson County Area Alliance, Wilson County No Kill Animal Shelter, Beeville Veterinary Hospital
- Kaufman County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- Kendall County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc.
- Kerr County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Friend's Veterinary Clinic PLLC
- Kimble County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Friend's Veterinary Clinic PLLC
- Kinney County: Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center
- Kleberg County: People Assisting Animal Control
- Lamb County: Raider Vets Inc., Kat's Alley Cats
- Lampasas County: Humane Heroes, Gatesville Animal Clinic
- Lavaca County: FWZGWC PLLC dba Guadalupe Valley Veterinary Clinic
- Lee County: Feralife
- Liberty County: Petset, Operation Pets Alive, Beaumont Pets Alive
- Limestone County: Animal Birth Control Clinic
- Live Oak County: Beeville Veterinary Hospital
- Lubbock County: Raider Vets Inc., Second Chance Dog Rescue, Kat's Alley Cats, Lubbock Animal Services
- Lynn County: Raider Vets Inc., Kat's Alley Cats
- Martin County: Fix West Texas
- Maverick County: Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center
- McLennan County: Humane Heroes, Gatesville Animal Clinic, Animal Birth Control Clinic
- McMullen County: Beeville Veterinary Hospital
- Medina County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Humane Heroes, Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center
- Midland County: Companions Humane Society, Fix West Texas, City of Midland-Animal Services
- Milam County: Feralife, Humane Heroes, Little Veterinary Services
- Mitchell County: Second Chance Dog Rescue
- Montgomery County: Petset, Operation Kindness, Operation Pets Alive
- Nolan County: Second Chance Dog Rescue
- Nueces County: People Assisting Animal Control, Operation Kindness
- Orange County: Beaumont Pets Alive
- Palo Pinto County: Humane Heroes
- Parker County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- Pecos County: Companions Humane Society
- Presidio County: Companions Humane Society
- Reagan County: Companions Humane Society
- Real County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center, Friend's Veterinary Clinic PLLC
- Reeves County: Companions Humane Society
- Refugio County: People Assisting Animal Control, Beeville Veterinary Hospital
- Rockwall County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- Runnels County: Companions Humane Society
- Rusk County: SPCA of East Texas, Inc.
- San Jacinto County: Petset, Operation Pets Alive
- San Patricio County: People Assisting Animal Control, Beeville Veterinary Hospital
- Scurry County: Second Chance Dog Rescue
- Smith County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue, Humane Heroes, SPCA of East Texas, Inc.
- Somervell County: Operation Kindness
- Sutton County: Companions Humane Society
- Swisher County: Raider Vets Inc.
- Tarrant County: Heavenly Purrsuits Rescue, Humane Society of North Texas, Operation Kindness, Noah's Paw Animal Rescue, Humane Heroes
- Taylor County: All Kind Animal Initiative
- Terrell County: Companions Humane Society
- Terry County: Raider Vets Inc., Kat's Alley Cats
- Tom Green County: Companions Humane Society
- Travis County: Feralife, Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Humane Heroes
- Tyler County: Humane Heroes
- Upton County: Companions Humane Society
- Upshur County: SPCA of East Texas, Inc.
- Uvalde County: Hill Country Animal League S.P.C.A. Inc., Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center
- Val Verde County: Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center
- Van Zandt County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue, SPCA of East Texas, Inc.
- Victoria County: Humane Heroes
- Walker County: Operation Pets Alive
- Waller County: Petset, Citizens for Animal Protection, Operation Pets Alive
- Ward County: Companions Humane Society
- Webb County: Humane Heroes
- Wharton County: Petset, Columbus Animal Clinic
- Wichita County: Wilbarger Humane Society
- Wilbarger County: Wilbarger Humane Society
- Willacy County: People Assisting Animal Control
- Williamson County: Feralife, Humane Heroes, Little Veterinary Services
- Wilson County: Wilson County Area Alliance, Wilson County No Kill Animal Shelter
- Winkler County: Companions Humane Society
- Wise County: Noah's Paw Animal Rescue
- Wood County: SPCA of East Texas, Inc.
- Yoakum County: Raider Vets Inc.
- Young County: Humane Heroes
- Zavala County: Southwest Texas Veterinary Medical Center
The Source: Information in this article is from the Texas Department of State Health Services.