Does a licensed veterinarian perform the surgery? Yes. NC state law mandates that any person performing surgery on an animal be a licensed veterinarian by the North Carolina State Veterinary Board.
What is the cost to have my pet spayed or neutered? The cost of spaying or neutering depends on a number of variables, including sex, size and age of the pet. Spay/neuter is a one time cost compared to the cost of two months of pregnancy, having a litter, and two months of ensuring the health of the mother and litter until weaned. The Humane Society of Charlotte is a non profit organization that operates a low cost spay/neuter clinic with a flat fee, regardless of size or age. (Download application) Our cost to you is discounted so that we can make a difference in euthanasia rates and unwanted births. We do not make a profit from surgeries performed. (Our prices)
How long will I have to wait to get an appointment? Our appointments for surgery are scheduled via a pre-paid appointment. We regularly schedule out 3-6 months for most appointments. We are scheduling 12-14 weeks out for female cat spays and 4-6 weeks out for male cat neuters. For male dog neuters, we are scheduling 4-6 weeks out for small to medium breeds and 16-20 for large breeds. For female dog spays, we are scheduling 8-12 out for small to medium breeds and 20-24 weeks out for large breeds. The wait time for dogs depends on their breed, age, and weight at the time of surgery and is at the clinic's discretion. Larger dogs have longer wait times due to limited space. Wait time varies and may be longer when you are contacted to schedule an appointment due to the low cost nature of our clinic and the volume at which we receive applications every day. (Schedule an appointment).
Can you give my animal shots while it's there? Yes! We only offer limited vaccines to clients on the day their animal is here for surgery. You will be asked to sign an increased risk form that morning, in the event of possible vaccine reaction. We do not accept walk-in clients for vaccines. We do not give physical exams or offer any other veterinary services. (Our Prices)
Do you administer pain medication to my animal? Yes! An injectable form of pain medication is given to all animals prior to surgery. This injection will last through the day of surgery. Beginning October 1, 2009 you may purchase pain medication for your animal from our clinic. Please let a staff member know on your animal's scheduled date of surgery if you wish to purchase post operative pain medication. You may also contact your regular veterinarian to obtain pain medication if you prefer. (Myths and truths of Spay/Neuter)
Can you microchip my animal? Yes! As of November 12, 2007, we began offering an optional microchip to all clients scheduled for spay/neuter surgery. (Our prices) We do not accept walk in clients for microchips. You will only be offered the microchip purchase on the day of surgery for the animal that is scheduled.
Can you declaw my cat, fix a hernia, remove my dog’s dewclaws, pull baby teeth etc., while it\'s under anesthesia? Because we are a high volume clinic, we are unable to perform any other surgical procedures other than spay/neuter surgeries. We ask that you contact your regular veterinarian for any other surgeries your animal may require.
Do you perform laser surgeries at your clinic? We do not perform laser surgeries at this clinic.
Do you tattoo the animal with an identification number? Since the start of this clinic in 1982 until November 12, 2007, yes, we did tattoo an identification number specific to each individual animal on the inside right rear leg. When we switched to the optional microchip service, we decided to no longer tattoo animals during surgery. If your animal has surgery scheduled for November 12, 2007 or later, your animal will not be tattooed. If the surgery for your animal was prior to November 12, 2007, then yes, your animal was tattooed.
How can I volunteer my time at your clinic?If you are interested in volunteering, please visit the volunteer page of the website for information on our next volunteer orientation meeting. You will also find our volunteer application on this page.
If you are a veterinarian or technician interested in volunteering, please contact our clinic manager at tcornell@humanesocietyofcharlotte.org
