11/09/2025
***Press Release*** A $100 Million Spay/Neuter Clinic
Taos, NM 11/8/2025… Donna Karr of Spay Taos recently announced that the spay/neuter clinic has surpassed 4000 successful spay/neuter surgeries, counting both the TFFF and Spay Taos activity. This activity level is roughly 250 per month/3000 per year, a rate of free spay/neuter in Taos County that exceeds by 50% the free spay/neuter rate from any past year, a rate that is sufficient to lower cat/dog population in the community. Considerable progress towards that goal has already been achieved.
At 4000 cases, assuming an average commercial vet clinic bill for spay/neuter and vaccinations of $350 per animal, the immediate out-of-pocket savings in veterinary costs is $1.4 million. These cost savings are shared by each client who used the free clinic instead of a commercial vet clinic.
However, that savings is just a tiny fraction of the total economic benefit of 4000 spay/neuter cases. Every time a cat or dog receives spay/neuter, its reproductive potential is completely and permanently eliminated. Hence, every time a cat or dog receives spay/neuter, the community is spared the expense of life-time care for each of the animal’s potential offspring. The burden of this care may not fall on the owner of the animal. If the owner finds new homes for each animal born, the burden shifts to the new owner. If the offspring are abandoned, the burden shifts to whatever shelter, rescue or kind soul that ultimately adopts them.
We will estimate the economic value of removing 4000 cats and dogs from the reproductive population. In order to do so, some assumptions are necessary. All assumptions are intentionally designed to understate the economic value.
The first assumption is the number of offspring prevented by each spay/neuter. There are various charts that look like ‘pyramids’, demonstrating how one unspayed female will create a first generation of newborns, who in turn, after six months, produce a second generation of new offspring, on and on and on… In these charts, all females of all generations, including the original mom, keep birthing every six months. Such exercises typically project thousands of extra animals born over three or four years, all a result of just one original unspayed female.
Let’s flatten the pyramid. An unspayed female is highly likely to have at least one litter over its unspayed life. An unneutered male is highly likely to sire at least one litter over its unneutered life. We will assume that spay/neuter of each animal, male or female, prevents just one litter of four kittens or puppies, and ignore the reality that the original mom and her newborn females are highly likely to have a number of additional litters over time. In other words, assume no ‘pyramid’ effect at all, just four animals prevented by each spay/neuter.
Turning to annual care costs, the company, Rover, “the world’s largest online marketplace for loving pet care”, conducted a survey of 1000 pet owners in 2025 for its sixth annual True Cost of Pet Parenthood Report. They report a range of $1150 to $4420 annually for dogs and $750 to $2750 annually for cats. This includes food, shelter, toys, cat litter, vet visits and boarding. Taking the low values and, assuming 60% cats and 40% dogs (which approximates the actual results from the clinic), the annual cost of care is $910 (40% of $1150 plus 60% of $750). To ensure of an understatement, let’s further discount that annual cost down to $625 per year.
The final assumption is lifespan. According to Montoya et al., published in the journal, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, dogs live on average from 6.7 to 15.5 years, depending on breed. The overall average is 11.1 years. Cats live 12.3 to 16.9 years with the overall average being 14.6 years. To be sure of an understatement, let’s only consider 10 years average life. Inflation will cause that $625 annual expense to rise every year - at 3% annual inflation, $625 increases to $840 in ten years. But let’s ignore inflation.
Putting it together, one spay/neutered animal prevents 4 births, each animal costs $625 per year and the costs extend for 10 years. The annual savings per one spay/neuter = 4 births prevented X $625 per year = $2,500 per year, equivalent to $25,000 over a 10-year life. Based on the 4000 surgeries already completed at the clinic, the annual savings to the Taos community = 4000 spay/neuters X 4 births X $625 per year = $10 million per year, equivalent to $100 million of total economic value over ten years. Furthermore, $100 million is the minimum economic value because each assumption was selected to understate the true cost savings.
