For Immediate Release

June 1, 2026

Priscilla Feral, president, Friends of Animals (203) 656-1522 feral@friendsofanimals.org

Richmond, Virginia— Animal shelters across the U.S. are amid a cat and dog surrender crisis, and those in Richmond are no exception.

Richmond Animal Care & Control reports taking in over 3,000 animals annually, and last summer, saw surrender requests surge to 20 per day, a stark reversal from post-pandemic pet adoption highs.

Experts point to lack of spay/neuter access as a root cause of overpopulation, and that’s exactly the gap Friends of Animals, a nationwide animal advocacy organization, is working to close. On June 15, 2026, FoA will be providing 50 free spay/ neuter certificates to Richmond residents in need.

These vouchers for free surgical procedures will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Pet owners interested in receiving a no cost spay-neuter certificate should call 1-800-321-PETS, beginning at 9am until 5pm on Monday June 15 to request a certificate.

“Access to affordable spay/neuter services is paramount in the fight against pet abandonment,” said Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals.  “Every unspayed and unneutered cat or dog poses another potential litter for shelters who are already overwhelmed. These certificates are our way of addressing one of the most immediate barriers to overcome: cost.”

Friends of Animals’ network of cooperating veterinarians includes Jessica Beath Clinic at 12300 Farmington Road in Ashland, and appointments for those who achieve a spay-neuter certificate can be made after they receive the certificate from FoA.

FoA’s unique, affordable cost spay-neuter program is comprised of a national network of approximately 500 cooperating veterinarians. To date, FoA has facilitated 3 million surgical procedures.

 Friends of Animals, an international animal protection organization founded in 1957, advocates for the rights of animals, free-living and domestic around the world.  www.friendsofanimals.org