Spay/Neuter Clinic

Appointments

• All surgeries for dogs, pet cats, and friendly outdoor cats require an appointment. 

• Appointments are booked online (see below). 

• Interested in fixing feral cats? Visit our Feral cat page for more info. 

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Pricing & Services for 2024: Click HERE for a full price list

We aim to make quality spay/neuter affordable to all clients. We have implemented tiered pricing to ensure care is accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances. Reduced-rate pricing is available to owners who receive food stamps (SNAP/LINK), Social Security Disability (SSD/SSI), or VA disability benefits. If you are unable to afford our spay/neuter services, please inquire with the clinic office about additionally reduced pricing.

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PLEASE READ BEFORE BOOKING: We have a very limited number of appointments at this time, and we do our best to provide them to pets and their owners in most need. We respectfully ask that if you are able to afford a traditional veterinary provider, you seek a spay/neuter appointment with them. We appreciate this consideration. 

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Kittens and puppies may be safely spayed or neutered at 8 weeks old and 2lbs. Cats and dogs may be spayed when in heat or pregnant. We recommend pre-operative bloodwork with your full-service veterinarian if your pet is 8 years old or older. 

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Regular Surgery Fees*

• Cats $70

• Dogs <60 lbs $200

• Dogs 60-99 lbs $225

• Dogs 100+ lbs $250

• Brachycephalic dog breeds additional $50 (includes Boston terrier, English bulldog, French bulldog, Pug, and others)

 

Regular-Rate Vaccine Packages (available at time of spay/neuter)

• 1-year rabies, distemper, 1-year Sangamon County rabies tag $40

• 3-year rabies, distemper, 3-year Sangamon County rabies tag $70

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Reduced-Rate Surgery Fees*

• Cats $45

• Dogs <60 lbs $100

• Dogs 60-99 lbs $125

• Dogs 100+ lbs $150

• Brachycephalic dog breeds additional $50 (includes Boston Terrier, English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Pug, and others)

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Reduced-Rate Vaccine Packages (available at time of spay/neuter)

• 1-year rabies, distemper, 1-year Sangamon County rabies tag $30

• 3-year rabies, distemper, 3-year Sangamon County rabies tag $60

 

To receive reduced-rate pricing, owners must bring proof of Food Stamps, SSD/SSI, or VA disability benefits and a matching photo ID to their pet's appointment.

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*Additional charges apply to cryptorchid males (retained testicle(s)), females with pyometra, and pets requiring umbilical hernia repair. Additional charges may apply to giant breed dogs, severely overweight/obese dogs, geriatric patients, and pets requiring additional medications or special handling.

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Outdoor-Only Feral and Community Cats

• Feral cats $30** (wild/unsocialized, unowned outdoor cats; package includes vaccines and ear tip)

  • Feral cats must come to the clinic in a live release trap.

  • Walk-ins accepted. Visit our feral cat page for more info. ​

• Community cats $40** (friendly, unowned outdoor cats; package includes vaccines and ear tip)

  • Community cats may come to the clinic in a carrier.​

  • Appointments required. 

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**Call our office if you are unable to afford to spay/neuter outdoor cats you are caring for.  

 

Payment is due at check-in. We accept cash and all major credit/debit cards. (We cannot process Care Credit.)

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Other Services (available at time of spay/neuter)

Microchip $15

Nail trim $5

E-collar $10

Canine heartworm test $15

Flea & ear mite treatment for cats $5

Flea & tick treatment for dogs $10

Dewormer $5-15

Drop-off & Pick-up Times

Please be prompt for all appointments times. We may not be able to accommodate late arrivals. Late pick-ups will be assessed a $25 boarding fee. 

 

Drop-off times

• Monday-Friday 8:00-8:30am.

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Pick-up times

• Monday-Thursday appointments: 7:30am the morning following surgery

• Friday appointments: 4:00pm the same day of surgery 

Why do we keep pets overnight Monday-Thursday but not Friday? Your pet requires several hours of recovery time before going home. Because we perform a full day of surgery Monday-Thursday, we keep pets overnight so that they're fully recovered upon release. Fridays we perform a half-day of surgery so that all pets have several hours of recovery before release. Maximizing our time in surgery Monday-Thursday allows us to keep prices low. 

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Certain medical conditions may affect your pet's fitness for surgery. Please call or email us if your pet has any of the following conditions: 

• retained testicle (cryptorchid)

• heart murmur

• previous abdominal surgery

• history of seizures

• is currently nursing a litter

• significantly overweight

• brachycephalic dog breeds including but not limited to Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, and Pugs

• is taking any medications, especially steroids or pain medications

• any other pre-existing medical conditions

 

APL reserves the right to refuse surgery to an animal if a health risk is determined. We will not accept animals exhibiting signs of upper respiratory infection, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

 

​Cancellation/No-Show Policy: If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please call (217-789-7729) or email (aplclinic@apl-shelter.org) us at least one business day in advance. If you do not show up for your appointment you will be required to pre-pay for any future appointments.

Pre-operative Instructions

Kittens and puppies under 4 months old

• Feed a small meal the morning of surgery. Kittens and puppies should NOT have food withheld before surgery or they risk dangerously low blood sugar. 

• Give water as usual. 

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Dogs >4 months old

• No food after midnight.

• Give water as usual.

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Cats > 4 months old

• Feed as usual. Do not withhold food prior to surgery. 

• Give water as usual. 

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When you arrive at the clinic

• Bring all cats in a clean and secure plastic carrier. We are not responsible for animals who get loose or are lost due to unsafe or inadequate carriers.

• If you do not have cat carrier, you may purchase a cardboard carrier for $5. 

• Leave your dog in the car when you arrive and come check-in at the clinic lobby. Clinic staff will direct you when to bring your dog indoors. 

• Please bring all dogs on a leash. 

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Vaccines

Our veterinarians strongly recommend that your pet's vaccines (rabies, distemper, and bordetella) are up-to-date when coming for surgery. Rabies vaccines are required for all pets and are available for $15 at the time of surgery. If your pet's rabies vaccine is up-to-date, please bring proof of that vaccine to your appointment. APL cannot be held responsible for contagious diseases for which your pet was not previously properly vaccinated. 

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Post-operative Instructions

For a full list of post-operative instructions click HERE.

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APL will treat at our clinic, at minimal cost, any post-operative complications resulting directly from the surgery if post-operative instructions have been followed in full. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery. Please call for an appointment as soon as you see cause for concern: 217-789-7729.

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Feral & Community Cat Spay/Neuter

Please visit our Feral cat page for more information on our trap/neuter/return program.

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Reduced-cost surgeries are available for outdoor-only unowned cats! If you are feeding stray or feral cats and would like to get them fixed, we're happy to loan you a live trap to do so! Please call our office at 217-789-7729 to borrow a live trap. All feral cats must stay with us overnight.