Take action during National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month

Graphic for National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month featuring pet owners with dogs and cats and Animal Care logos. — *Take action during National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month. Help reduce pet overpopulation and support healthier pets in San Bernardino County. Learn more at animalcare.sbcounty.gov.*

It’s National Spay and Neuter Awareness Month!

San Bernardino County Animal Care took in a total of 6,796 stray dogs and cats at the Big Bear and Devore Animal Shelters in 2025. Many of these pets were not spayed or neutered, contributing to the ongoing issue of pet overpopulation. Just one litter of puppies or kittens can multiply quickly, and before long, the number of pets in need of homes becomes overwhelming.

A pregnant cat can give birth to a litter of four to six kittens, and a pregnant dog can give birth to as many as 12 puppies per litter. Dogs can start reproducing as early as 6 months of age, and cats can start reproducing as early as 4 months of age. This rapid population growth significantly contributes to the strain on our shelters.

Spaying and neutering are essential for reducing the strain on shelters, preventing overcrowding, and giving pets their best chance for a happy, healthy life.

Thanks to partnerships, programs and the Animal Care Mobile Services, over 4,660 pets and community cats were spayed or neutered in 2025.

Join us in making a difference by sharing the importance of spaying and neutering pets!

To learn more about the available spay and neuter programs and services, visit animalcare.sbcounty.gov.

Why spay and neuter?

Spaying and neutering your pets and community cats offer numerous benefits, including:

Preventing overpopulation – Reduces the number of homeless pets and overcrowding in shelters.
Health benefits – Lowers the risk of reproductive cancers and infections, which can become costly both financially and emotionally.
Behavioral improvements – Helps reduce aggression, spraying, roaming and other unwanted behaviors.
Cost savings – Prevents future costly medical conditions, thus reducing the financial strain on pet owners and animal shelters.

Available spay and neuter resources

San Bernardino County Animal Care offers several programs for spaying and neutering pets:

Spay and neuter events – We host free spay and neuter events throughout the year to make these services more accessible. Check our website for upcoming events and locations: animalcare.sbcounty.gov/events/month.
Animal Sterilization Assistance Program (ASAP) – This program provides financial assistance to qualifying pet owners to help cover the cost of spay/neuter procedures. Learn more and apply at: animalcare.sbcounty.gov/animal-sterilization-assistance-program.
Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program – Community members who participate in the TNVR program help control the community cat population by humanely trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating and returning cats to their environment. Find more details at animalcare.sbcounty.gov/tnvr.

About Animal Care

San Bernardino County Animal Care is an animal welfare agency that operates the Big Bear and Devore Animal Shelters, providing shelter services to the unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County and the contracted cities of Big Bear Lake, Highland and Yucaipa.

Animal Care also offers a variety of programs and services to the unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County. To determine if you qualify, please visit the service area map at animalcare.sbcounty.gov/service-area-map.

If you do not reside in an unincorporated area of San Bernardino County, please contact your local city or town to learn about services and programs available in your community.

Together, we can make a lasting impact on pet health and shelter overpopulation. Thank you for being part of the solution!

Additional County Update News – Feb. 26, 2026