Rio Dell Launches Neuter and Spay Voucher Program 

Getting pets spayed and neutered just got a lot cheaper for Rio Dell residents, with the city partnering with a new local clinic to start a new program.

Residents of Rio Dell can now go to the city's resource center to receive vouchers based on their income and pet's needs.

Humboldt Humane and Critters without Litters is a new clinic that opened in June, making it the only neuter and spay clinic in the county besides Humboldt Spay/Neuter Network (HSNN) in Myrtletown. Located on Fernbridge Drive in Fortuna, Humboldt Humane and Critters Without Litters offers Eel River Valley residents a closer option.

"The transportation from Rio Dell to Myrtletown twice a day is very, very prohibitive for some people," Rio Dell City Councilmember Amanda Carter says. "So having a clinic that's a little bit closer means that people can get there easier without spending all the time and the money on the gas."

Spaying or neutering dogs and cats can be expensive. Jennifer Raymond, founder of Humboldt Humane and Critters Without Litters, says it costs around $350 at most local vet clinics to spay a female cat. In comparison, at Critters without Litters, it costs $120.

Still, not everyone can afford to pay for the procedure.

"I live in a very economically impoverished area, and cost and transportation are both pretty prohibitive when it comes to spaying and neutering your pets," Carter says. "I run into a lot of people who say, 'Oh, I've got this cat that needs to get fixed, but he keeps getting out, and I can't afford to get it fixed.' We do have a couple other nonprofits that offer vouchers, but I think it's very, very important and more accessible to the community, if it's run by the city."

The city is now joining an effort to reduce the growing stray animal population occurring nationwide. An estimated 6.8 million cats and dogs entered rescues and shelters across the states in 2023, according to Shelters Animal Count.

Raymond says there is a growing problem with strays in Humboldt County.

"It has skyrocketed in the last two to three years," she says. "The number of calls that we're getting, the number of kittens. In fact, if you call any of the rescues in Humboldt County and ask about kittens, all of them are full right now."

Trudy Terres, executive director of HSNN, says she has also seen an increase in strays locally.

"There is definitely a huge issue with stray and feral pets in Humboldt County," Terres says. "Many factors have contributed to this ongoing issue that we have experienced first-hand at HSNN, including access to services in rural areas, lack of education on responsible pet ownership and financial barriers, to name a few."

While the number of animals entering the Humboldt County Animal Shelter has not increased much over the past three years, rates of owners reclaiming their pets have dropped significantly. From 2021 to 2023, dogs reclaimed by their owners at the Humboldt Animal Shelter have dropped from 56 percent to 43 percent, according to Shelter Manager Andre Hale.

For cats, the number of reclamations has always been low, consistently falling below 10 percent, Hale says.

However, while the number of reclaimed pets at the shelter has dropped, adoption numbers at Humboldt County Animal Shelter have increased about 15 percent for cats and 17 percent for dogs over the past year.

Raymond says some local farms that used to have guard dogs and cats for pest control have left them behind with the recent economic turmoil.

"Mostly it's for cats, but there are a number of dogs that do turn up with the cats," Raymond says. "We generally don't hear about it until they've been breeding for a while, and neighbors notice them coming to their property looking for food. By the time we go in there will be 20 to 40 cats."

Rio Dell is one of the first cities in the county to launch a program to help residents pay for spaying and neutering their pets.

"I'm hoping other cities and the county follow suit and start their own voucher programs instead of continuing to overcrowd animal shelters," Carter says. "Access to low-cost spay and neuter services is really the only way to help with overcrowded animal shelters in the long term. My hope, and the hope of the rest of the city council and staff, is that Rio Dell becomes an example of how to achieve a long-term solution."

The program currently has a budget of $3,500, funded through a portion of animal licensing fees in the city, though Carter says the city is looking to increase funding through grants and donations, as well.

Editor's note: This story first appeared in The Ferndale Enterprise.