The Need - Pet overpopulation, caused by the uncontrolled, unplanned, breeding of fertile cats and dogs, is a serious problem in Baton Rouge – a serious problem that creates thousands of innocent animals born each year only to meet the fate of being destroyed. Our goal is to decrease uncontrolled/unplanned breeding, thus ending this cycle.

Over 9,000 unwanted pets will be destroyed by the East Baton Rouge Animal Control this year alone. The best solution to this sad reality is to stop the unwanted animals from being born. As part of that solution, Spay Baton Rouge provides spay and neuter assistance to qualified pet owners through association with Azalea Lakes Veterinary Clinic, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, and a number of local area vet clinics.

The Program - With a goal to steadily reduce the euthanasia rates, Spay Baton Rouge provides a weekly "Spay Day,” a day of subsidized spaying and neutering for pets owned by people with low incomes.  These are held at our facility, The Joan Greco Memorial Spay Baton Rouge Facility.  Mr. Joe Greco generously donates use of this building behind his business, Greco Pet Supply.  Spay Baton Rouge also provides a monthly "Spay Day" at Azalea Lakes Veterinary Clinic.  We also provide surgeries during the rest of the month at private clinics.  The first Spay Day that we helped start at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine's Spay Day is now being hosted by Cat Haven.

Hilton Cole, Director of East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control Center, reports that the majority of stray animals are from low-income areas. Studies have shown that alleviating the cost barrier to animal sterilization increases owners's willingness to sterilize their pets.  Our ultimate goal is to provide access to affordable surgeries to a population of cats and dogs that would not otherwise have this important surgery provided for them.

Spay Baton Rouge plans to implement all of the important components of a successful spay and neuter program to realize a decrease in the overpopulation problem in our community.  The good news is, between 2007 and 2008 there was an 8.4 decrease in the euthanasia rate after running our program for three years and fixing over 5,500 cats or dogs that would not normally have been fixed!!!  This is reason to celebrate.  Let's keep up the great work.

Please take a moment to make a donation through our Paypal link located below the main menu. With your help, we will help stop the cycle of animals being born only to meet the fate of being destroyed.