In 2025, Friends of Animals continued expanding its affordable spay/ neuter program. While affordable certificates are always available, FoA decided to heighten its impact a bit more.

This year, your donation dollars helped to create three certificate giveaways. In these, local residents were asked to call to receive one of a limited number of free certificates on a first-come, first-serve basis. The free certificate could then be exchanged for a breeding control surgery with the participating veterinarian. Please consider a year-end donation so we can continue these giveaways in 2026. Donate here.

Maine

The giveaways began in March, in Augusta, Maine, when FoA celebrated the state’s first veterinarian joining the clinic, Maine Animal Health Alliance, by pledging to give away 50 free certificates to residents in need—the value of this contribution being approximately $10,000.

Raleigh

Upon reading about the Maine giveaway, a North Carolina donor felt so inspired that they contributed to FoA, requesting that we put on another giveaway in their backyard. Given that Raleigh already had four participating veterinary clinics: Care First Animal Hospital, Complete Pet Care, Ansede Animal Hospital, and Safe Haven for Cats, it was a no brainer.

FoA pledged the same 50 certificates, worth $10,000 to residents in need in September, and was blown away by the response. Inundated with calls from loving pet owners who were too difficult to turn down, FoA went well over the allocated certificates in Raleigh.

Utica

After the Raleigh giveaway, FoA began hearing from central New Yorkers, describing yet another local pet homelessness crisis, and knew action was needed. While there were no participating vets nearby, FoA was able to persuade Dr. Keith Blackmore of Mohawk Valley Cat Care in Clinton, just outside of Utica, to assist with our efforts in this special promotion.

Dr. Blackmore met FoA halfway, and then some; he was only able to accept certificates for male cat neuter surgeries but promised to include rabies and distemper shots in every procedure. FoA said okay, and pledged 60 certificates, again worth about $10,000, to Uticans in need. FoA couldn’t keep up with the calls and ended up giving away 68.

Throughout these three giveaways, your dollars funded $35,628 in already low-cost certificates and helped facilitate procedures on 148 cats and 102 dogs, saving many, many more from homelessness in the process.