FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

RATES & PRICING

  • A sliding scale is a flexible fee structure, where different people pay different amounts based on their income and what they can afford. This system ensures access to high-quality veterinary care for people of all income levels (including no-income), and allows us to run our clinic in a sustainable way.

    The Tier 3 or “Full Fee” prices more accurately reflect what it costs us to offer our services.

    If you are able to pay above your tier level, we encourage you to pay it forward and make a donation here or at the time of your appointment.

    Your generosity helps cover the cost of another animal’s care, and helps us maintain our sliding scale!

  • We will not turn away an animal or their family if they cannot pay. If you are concerned about the cost of care, please contact our clinic at info@animalfixclinic.org. We will work with you to find the best solution for everyone!

    • We are experts in spay/neuter surgery and many other surgeries - our medical team that has over 75 years of collective experience!

    • As a Fear Free Certified practice, your animal companion will receive high-quality care AND the utmost in patience and compassion.

    • You will be supporting our work to ensure that all animals and families have access to veterinary care.

    • You will be helping other animals in need get the surgery they would otherwise not receive because their families or caretakers cannot afford the full cost.


    Many of our referrals for spay/neuter surgery come from local general practitioners (GPs). If you have a GP for your pet, we encourage you to discuss with them when and where to have your pet fixed.

  • Yes! Every animal we serve receives the same high-quality surgical care, no matter what.

BEFORE & AFTER SURGERY

  • We routinely treat puppies and kittens as young as 8 weeks for rescue groups and shelters.

    We often treat senior dogs and cats, too. We don’t have an upper age limit for surgery, and we can modify our anesthetic protocol as needed.

  • Short answer: no. But because your pet will be around other animals on the day of their appointment, we encourage you to have your pets properly vaccinated according to your regular vet’s recommendations.

    We can also provide vaccines at your pet’s appointment, at a reasonable price.

  • We don’t need lab work before their surgery, but if you have concerns about your pet’s general health, we encourage you to discuss them with your regular vet.

  • Your pet will likely act differently the night after a surgery. but may not necessarily be experiencing pain. This behavior is due to the effects of anesthesia and opioids, and not necessarily pain.

    Signs of pain in both cats and dogs can include reluctance to engage in normal behaviors, being withdrawn, “walking funny,” not wanting to eat, licking at the incision, and chewing at the incision. In cats, lack of normal grooming can also be a sign.

    (Please note that unsocialized community cats may refuse to eat or groom if they are stressed from having been trapped.)

    In addition to pain management administered at the clinic, your pet may be provided with additional pain medication to go home, if our staff deems it necessary.

    Make sure to read over the take-home paperwork we give you after your pet’s surgery, and please contact us if you have any concerns.

  • In short, microchips save lives and reunite pets with their families!

    A microchip is a small electronic chip that contains a unique number, which is linked to a database where an animal’s family has registered their contact information. It is *not* a GPS or tracking device.

    If your cat or dog is lost and brought to a vet, shelter, or other rescue, they’ll use a special scanner to find their microchip number. When the number is entered into the microchip company’s database, it will bring up your contact information, and they can call to let you know your companion is safe!

    Dogs who are microchipped are 2.5 times more likely to be returned to their families, and cats are almost *20* times more likely to make it home! (Source: JAVMA)

    Your cat or dog’s microchip is only useful if your contact information is current, though, so be sure to update anytime you move or change your phone number!

    Learn more about microchips and how they work.

  • 24Petwatch allows you to register any brand of microchip for free. Visit my24pet.com, and in a few easy steps, you can register your pet using the microchip number attached to their discharge paperwork.

    All registered microchips include 24Petwatch Basic pet protection services for free. You can choose to sign up for one of 24Petwatch's paid memberships, but a paid membership is *not* required to register your pet's microchip.

    An important reminder: Make sure to update your information anytime you move or change your phone number!

  • We’d be happy to answer your questions or concerns! Please contact us at info@animalfixclinic.org or at (510) 215-9300.

    If you think your pet needs emergency attention when our clinic is closed, contact an emergency vet near you, right away:
    - PETS Referral Center (Berkeley)
    - Berkeley Dog & Cat Hospital (Berkeley)
    - OakVet (Oakland)
    - BAVS (San Leandro)
    - SAGE Veterinary Center (multiple locations including Concord and San Francisco)

MEDICAL

  • From the American Veterinary Medical Association:

    By having your pet spayed or neutered, you will do your part to prevent the birth of unwanted animals. What's more, you could be setting your pet up for a longer life, as studies have repeatedly shown that spayed or neutered dogs and cats live longer, on average, than other dogs and cats. This advantage is likely due to the health and behavioral benefits of the procedures.

    Established health benefits include protection against some potentially serious diseases. Spaying female dogs and cats can prevent uterine infection and reduce the risk of breast cancer. Neutering males can eliminate their risk of testicular cancer and reduce their risk of developing enlarged prostate glands (known as benign prostatic hyperplasia).

    Behavioral benefits relate directly to the decreases in certain sex hormones that occur after spaying or neutering. Removing a female dog or cat's ovaries eliminates their heat cycles and generally reduces mating-related behaviors that may frustrate owners. Removing a male dog or cat's testicles reduces their breeding instinct, resulting in less roaming and fewer urine-marking behaviors.

    Learn more about the benefits of spay / neuter.

  • We believe in and use multi-modal, pre-emptive, balanced analgesia and anesthesia. We use opioids, local anesthetics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, with thoughtful consideration for what is best for each animal and their specific condition.

  • In general, your pet will not need antibiotics to go home.

    Antibiotics may be needed for an animal who has a pre-existing infection, or who has surgery under unusual circumstances.

  • No. We can safely spay a dog or cat in heat, at any stage of her pregnancy or estrus cycle. If you have concerns, please contact us at info@animalfixclinic.org or discuss with your regular vet.

  • We can help with some of these! Contact us at info@animalfixclinic.org to discuss.

TNR & COMMUNITY CATS

  • A free-roaming or community cat has no official “owner.” They may be friendly to humans, or they may be completely unsocialized.

    Some people refer to unsocialized free-roaming cats as “feral,” although that word is used less often now than in the past.

  • From our friends at AlleyCat Allies:
    Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only humane and effective approach to community cats, or unowned cats who live outdoors.

    Scientific studies show that TNR effectively addresses the community cat population by ending the breeding cycle, meaning no new kittens are born to a community cat colony. As sound public policy, TNR addresses community concerns, reduces shelter intake and killing, and reduces calls to animal services, all of which save cats’ lives and taxpayer dollars.

    When cats are free from the burdens of mating and reproducing, their relationships improve with the people who live near them (think: no more kittens outdoors or yowling, roaming, fighting, or spraying). Additionally, many diseases associated with reproduction, like certain cancers, are prevented.

    You can learn more about TNR at alleycat.org, or get involved with TNR in the East Bay through our friends at Feral Change.

  • “Ear tipping” is an effective and universally accepted method for identifying that a community cat has been spayed or neutered.

    Ear tipping is a surgical procedure performed by a veterinarian that removes the distal one-quarter of a cat’s left or right ear, approximately 3/8 inch (1 cm) in an adult and proportionally smaller in a kitten. This procedure is performed under sterile conditions while the cat is already anesthetized for spay or neuter surgery. There is little to no bleeding or pain, and the ear tip does not significantly alter the appearance or beauty of the cat.

    A tipped ear indicates to anyone that sees the cat or traps the animal that the cat is already fixed, and doesn’t need to be brought to a shelter or clinic as a stray cat.

    This system prevents animals from being trapped, brought in, and returned to their homes multiple times, saving the animal stress and saving animal welfare staff and volunteers time and resources.

  • If a cat is a community / free-roaming / feral cat, even if they are friendly, their ear must be tipped in order to prevent the cat from being taken to a shelter or undergoing anesthesia if trapped by someone else in the future.

    If you choose not to have the cat’s ear tipped, you will not be eligible for our TNR package and you will pay standard rates.

  • We sure do! We lend humane traps for trapping and bringing cats to us for surgery. Please note that you must have a scheduled appointment before you can borrow a trap.

    We require a deposit of $75, which is fully refunded to you when the trap is returned to us in good shape within the two-week rental period. We accept cash or credit card.

    We are available to lend traps on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 9am and 5pm at our clinic in Richmond.

    Trap availability is limited — please call ahead.

    For more information about how to borrow a trap, call us at 510-215-9300 or email us.

  • All cats must have an appointment, and the number you can bring depends on the number of appointments we have available.

    Please call us at (510) 215-9300, email us at info@animalfixclinic.org, or book your appointments online.

  • Check out our Resources page for links to lots of great organizations and educational materials!

OTHER QUESTIONS

  • No! Anyone from anywhere can use our services, as long as you can get to the clinic, which is located in Richmond, CA.

    We may have grants that go to help residents of specific areas, but our staff will do our best to help you and your animal regardless of where you live.

  • Anyone can donate online HERE, or drop off donations at our clinic during open hours, between morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

    See our hours and learn about our donation needs.

  • Definitely! Contact us to learn how you can volunteer with us..

    And we always appreciate folks spreading the word about the work we do, fundraising, and sending supplies we use at the clinic, too! Check out our Ways to Give page!

    If you’d like to be the first to know about future opportunities to help at Animal Fix Clinic, be sure to sign up for our email newsletter and follow us on social media!