Loving Spay & Neuter Clinic FAQs

• How do I request an appointment for my personal pet?

  The Loving Spay + Neuter Clinic prioritizes homeless pets including pets currently in shelters or with rescue organizations, community (feral) cats and pets from low income households that might not otherwise be able to afford these services. We encourage you to take your pet to your regular veterinarian if you can, so that we can help those in our community who do not have another option.

  To request an appointment, complete the online appointment request form.

  Clinic staff will review your request and follow-up with you to confirm the appointment. Staff may have additional questions about your pet. (It may take several days before you hear from a staff member.)

  Completion of an on-line appointment request form does not guarantee an appointment for your pet. It is an appointment request only.

• Why does the website say that there are no available appointments for my pet's size?

  If you are unable to see any open appointments available for your pet type, then we are already booked for that animal type/size.

• Are there other options for low-cost spay/neuter services?

  Here is a list of area low-cost spay and neuter services.

  If you are are Richmond City Resident, you may qualify for reduced-cost services through the Kara & Eden Project, email clinic@ral.org for more information.

• How old does the cat/dog have to be in order to be spayed or neutered?

  Private pet owners are urged to discuss the timing of your pet’s surgery with your full-service veterinarian. Recommendations will vary based on breed, size and other factors. 

  Generally speaking, we prefer that privately owned cats are at least 4 months of age and dogs are at least 5 months. Cats and dogs must weigh at least 3 pounds. 

• Are there any health, size, or breed-related restrictions?

  Yes. Some pets, due to age, health, behavior or breed characteristics are better served by a full-service veterinary hospital equipped to manage special needs or risk factors. We reserve the right to decline services to any pet at the veterinarian's discretion. 
  
  We will not perform the surgery on:

  • English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs*

  • Dogs over 120 pounds (due to staff limitations),

  • Dogs with a history of biting
  

  *Other brachycephalic (short-nosed) dogs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. (For example, Shih Tzu, Pekingese, and Boxer breed types.)

• What if I don’t want/need the rabies vaccination?

  If your pet has a current rabies vaccination, you must provide proof in the form of a photo of your pet's certificate of vaccination. (A copy of your pet’s rabies tag is not sufficient.) 
  
  If your pet is over 4 months old and you do not have proof of current rabies vaccination, the clinic will provide the rabies vaccine at an additional charge. A rabies vaccine is required for all pets over 4 months of age in order to receive spay/neuter services. 

• Are other vaccinations required and do you provide them?

  The rabies vaccine is the only vaccine we require for pets that are over 4 months old. Ideally, your pet will have received all veterinarian-recommended age and lifestyle- appropriate vaccines at least two weeks before their spay/neuter appointment so that they have immunity at the time of their appointment. If your pet has not received those vaccines, however, we will offer several “core” vaccines to be given at the time of surgery for an additional charge.  

• What can I expect on the day of surgery?

  Owners/transporters of scheduled animals must arrive at 8 a.m., but this does not mean that your pet’s intake will happen at 8 a.m. Once you arrive, remain in your car and send a text message to the number shown on the signs at the front of our building. We will then call you by phone to check-in and confirm your pet's services. 

  As a high-volume spay/neuter clinic, we check-in a lot of animals each morning between 8 and 9 a.m. Our check-in process prioritizes the safety of the animals and our staff, while keeping the cat or dog’s stress to a minimum. This means that check-in is not necessarily first-come, first-served. For example, we may check-in several cats in a row, before beginning with dogs, or we may wait until all other animals have been checked-in before bringing in an anxious, large dog. There are many factors that determine the order in which we bring animals back to the surgical clinic. The process may take 30 minutes or longer. Please keep this in mind when planning your morning schedule that day. 

  You will be reminded of your pick-up time when you drop off your pet.  Typically, discharge for privately-owned pets and community (trap, neuter, vaccinate, return) cats is at 4:00 p.m. Animals must be picked up by 4:30 p.m. We charge a late fee of $40 to those that arrive after 4:30 p.m. 

  Chesterfield Animal Control will be contacted if your pet has not been picked up by 5 p.m. If this occurs, you will have to retrieve your pet directly from Chesterfield Animal Control and pay any applicable fees.

• Does the Loving Spay and Neuter Clinic accept Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) discount certificates?

  No. Our services are already discounted.

• What if you find out that my pet has already been spayed or neutered?

  If the vet is able to tell a pet has already been spayed or neutered during the initial exam, you will be notified and there will be no charge for the surgery. (If any additional services are provided, such as vaccines, you will be charged for those items.) 

  If the vet finds that your pet has already been spayed or neutered after anesthesia has been administered, you will be charged the cost of the sedation and anesthesia.

• Do you scan all pets for microchip identification prior to surgery?

  Only if the pet owner requests that we place a microchip for their pet as a part of their surgery service. We will scan the pet first to make sure that one hasn’t already been placed. If we do find a previously placed microchip, we will alert you. Whether or not to proceed with the surgery in this circumstance will be up to the discretion of the veterinarian in charge.

• Will my pet receive pain medication?

  Yes. Pain medication is administered as a 24-hour lasting injection for all surgical procedures. Prices for surgery also include take-home oral pain medications.

• What if my cat/dog is in heat?

  We are still able to spay her. There is no extra charge.

• What if my cat/dog is pregnant?

  We are still able to spay her. (The fetuses do not survive the procedure.) There is an extra fee of $30 for dogs and $20 for cats. This covers the cost of fluids and extra care.

• Do I bring my pet back to the clinic for follow-up care?

  No. For non-emergency questions or concerns about your pet’s post-operative condition, please call or text us Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 804-234-3312. (Please note, though, that we are closed on weekends and major holidays. If you leave a message over the weekend, we will not hear the message until the next business day.)

  FOR EMERGENCY AND AFTER HOURS CARE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FULL-SERVICE VETERINARIAN OR 24-HOUR VETERINARY CLINIC.

• My dog is well trained, do I have them on a leash?

  All dogs must be on a leash at all times. This is county law. No exceptions. 

  All cats must be in a cat carrier. No exceptions. Check out our blog: Cats and cat carriers

  It doesn’t have to be so stressful!

• My cat has tested positive for FIV and/or FeLV. Will you still spay/neuter him/her?

  Yes.