Help for California Pets: Free & Low Cost Vet Clinics

There is no denying that pets bring joy to our lives, but the cost of keeping them healthy and fed is less than joyful. We have researched and complied a list of California free and low cost pet care resources just for you! The resources below are organized by spay/neuter services, vaccine/health services, and pet food assistance for your convenience.

Spay/Neuter Services

Spaying and Neutering is an important but expensive part of pet care. Thankfully, there are services throughout California that offer free and low cost spay/neuter services. If you do not live in one of the following counties or cities, you can use Spay California’s online database to find a service near you.

Front Street Animal Shelter Spay and Neuter Program (Sacramento)

The City of Sacramento’s animal shelter, Front Street, offers a spay/neuter voucher program for residents of Sacramento. To qualify, you must live in Sacramento and be within their income guidelines (listed on their website). Vouchers can be used at Community Spay Neuter Clinic or Sacramento SPCA . Appointments for dogs need to be booked directly with Community Spay Neuter Clinic or Sacramento SPCA. When you have an appointment scheduled, you can call Front Street Animal shelter for a voucher. Cat owners can also schedule spay/neuter services directly with Front Street.

Community Spay Neuter Clinic

Community Spay Neuter Clinic also offers low cost spay/neuter services regardless of income. Spay/neuter services ranges from $85 for cats and $150-$250 for dogs depending on gender and weight. Appointments for the month open on the first Monday of the month at 7am and book quickly. You can find more information and book an appointment on Community Spay Neuter Clinic’s website.

ACT Spay/Neuter Clinic (San Joaquin County)

ACT is a nonprofit serving pet owners in San Joaquin county by providing low cost pet care, including spay/neuter services. Spay/neuter services range from $65-$85 for cats and $135-$300 for dogs depending on weight and gender. Appointments are required and can be made in person or by calling 209-462-7729 and leaving a message.

Spay4LA (Los Angeles)

Spay 4 LA is a mobile clinic offering free or low cost spay/neuter services to residents of Los Angeles City or Los Angeles County. Not much information is given online, but their website encourages interested pet owners to call 1-888-772-9452 for more information and to book an appointment.

City of Los Angeles Spay Neuter Clinic (City of Los Angeles)

The City of Los Angeles Spay Neuter Clinic offers free and low cost spay/neuter services to residents of City of Los Angeles. They offer two spay/neuter programs. Their spay/neuter coupon program is available to all residents of City of LA, and their spay/neuter voucher program is available to residents with income lower than HUD’s Household Low Income Limits. To apply, please complete their online application. Appointments cannot be scheduled, but interested residents can be added to their waitlist and then line up in front of the clinic and be seen in order of arrival.

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control (Los Angeles County)

Los Angeles County also offers spay/neuter vouchers. Any resident of unincorporated Los Angeles county or Baldwin Park, Bell, Calabasas, Compton, Monterey Park, Rolling Hills, Santa Clarita, Walnut, and West Hollywood are eligible regardless of income. Vouchers cover $150 of spay/neuter for dogs and $50 for cats. To apply, please complete this application and mail or email to the address/email listed on the application.

Central California SPCA (Fresno)

Central California SPCA is located in Fresno and offers low cost spay/neuter services to anyone regardless of location or income. Spay/neuter services range from $60-$65 for cats and $120-$250 for dogs depending on weight and gender. Appointments can be requested on Central California SPCA’s website.

ICARE of the Eastern Sierra (Inyo and Mono counties)

ICARE provides financial help to pet owners of Inyo and Mono county who cannot afford spay/neuter services. Limited information is provided on ICARE’s website, but interested pet owners are encouraged to call 760-872-3802 for more information.

Monterey County SPCA

Monterey County SPCA not only offers low cost spay/neuter services at their clinic in Salinas, but they also host low cost mobile spay/neuter clinics regularly. Spay/Neuter services at their Salinas clinic range from $45 for cats to $30-$170 for dogs depending on weight and gender. Appointments at their Salinas clinic can be booked online. Please note, appointments go quickly and it is suggested to look for appointment openings daily. Monterey County SPCA mobile clinics vary in location and time. More information can be found online on their mobile clinic page.

Actors and Others for Animals (Los Angeles Area)

Actors and Others for Animals provides spay/neuter assistance to low or fixed income residents of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura counties. To apply for assistance, you can call 818-755-6045 Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm and speak to one of their helpline counselors. Please note, Actors and Others for Animals partner with local low cost vets and do not pay for the whole surgery. The amount of assistance given varies by funding and need.

SNIP Mobile Spay and Neuter (Multiple Locations)

SNIP is a nonprofit mobile clinic that offers low cost spay/neuter services to pet owners in central California. Prices vary by clinic and clinic locations can be found on SNIP’s instagram and Facebook.

San Fransisco SPCA

San Fransisco SPCA offers spay/neuter services on a sliding scale. Spay/neuter services are tiered and range from $0-$300. Eligibility is determined by residency and income. To check if you qualify for a discount, please call them at 415-554-3084.

Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA (San Fransisco Area)

Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA offers free spay/neuter services through their mobile clinic program. Not much information is given online, but their website recommends calling 650-340-7022 ext. 387 for more information and clinic dates.

Vaccines and Health

Spaying and neutering is just the beginning of keeping your pet healthy. The vaccines, preventative medications, and testing that pets require can easily add up. Below are some of the services throughout California that offer free and lost cost pet care.

Central California SPCA (Fresno)

Central California SPCA operates a low cost wellness clinic for any pet owner regardless of residency or income. They offer low cost vaccines, microchips, flea/tick preventative medication, and deworming. All services and prices can be found on Central California SPCA’s website. Appointments are required and can be made online or by calling their clinic.

Monterey County SPCA (Salinas)

Monterey County SPCA offers most vaccines for only $25 and there is no additional fee for the office visit. Additionally, they offer free vaccines clinics on a regular basis. To make an appointment and to learn more about their free vaccines clinics, please visit Monterey County SPCA’s website.

The Acme Foundation (Lake County)

The Acme Foundation is a nonprofit with the goal of helping low income senior and disabled pet owners keep their pet friends alive and healthy. Because of limited funding, only pets who are patients at Clearlake Veterinary Clinic are eligible. To apply, please contact Clearlake Veterinary Clinic. Please note, your pet must be diagnosed as seriously ill with a good chance of recovering.

Placer SPCA (Placer County)

Placer SPCA offers a low cost vaccine clinic once a month to residents of Placer County. Vaccine clinics are usually held one Monday a month from 9am-3:50pm. Appointments are required and can made by calling Placer SPCA at 916-782-7722 (press 0). For more information including vaccines prices, please visit Placer SPCA’s website.

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control (Los Angeles County)

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control regularly offers low cost clinics, including mobile clinics. Appointments can be made online and are required. All the information for their clinics can be found on Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control’s website.

ACT Spay/Neuter Clinic (San Joaquin County)

ACT also offers low cost vaccines, testing, and microchipping. Vaccines range from $15-$20 each and microchipping is $20. Appointments are required and can be made in person or by calling 209-462-7729 and leaving a message.

City of Sacramento

The City of Sacramento regularly offers free vaccine and microchip clinics for dogs. Their clinics are walk up and first come, first served. For more information, please visit City of Sacramento’s website.

San Fransisco Animal Care and Control

San Fransisco Animal Care and Control offers four low cost vaccine and microchip clinics per year. Vaccines are $10 and microchipping is free to San Fransisco residents. Clinic dates and details can be on San Fransisco Animal Care and Control’s website.

San Fransisco SPCA

San Fransisco SPCA operates a low cost clinic that offers vaccines, testing, and preventative medication. They are open Wednesday-Saturday from 8am-6pm and appointments are required. Appointments can me made on San Fransisco SPCA’s website.

Pet Food

Inflation has made it hard enough to afford food for ourselves, and the cost of pet food only makes it worse. This problem is so common that pet food assistance is offered throughout the state of California. Many Humane Societies and SPCA’s in California operate a pet food bank. If your city is not listed below, we recommend contacting your local SPCA or Humane Society.

Bakersfield Pet Food Pantry (Kern County)

Bakersfield Pet Food Pantry serves all residents of Kern county who need help feeding their pets. Applications are required, but first time assistance is open to everyone. Continued assistance depends on the review of the application. To receive assistance, please visit their distribution on the 2nd or 4th Saturday of the month between 10am-12pm. You can complete an application for continued assistance while there.

Monterey County SPCA (Salinas)

Monterey County SPCA also offers a free pet food bank to anyone in need. The pet food bank is open each Saturday from 9:30-10:30am and is located at their Salinas clinic. Please call or email them for more information. An email address and phone number can be found on Monterey County SPCA’s website.

Santa Cruz SPCA (Santa Cruz)

Santa Cruz SPCA operates the Heather’s Pet Food Pantry. Assistance is available to residents of Santa Cruz who need help feeding their pets. One weeks worth of food is given out every Friday between 1pm-3pm. Please visit Santa Cruz SPCA’s website for more details.

Placer SPCA (Placer County)

Placer SPCA offers a pet food pantry to residents of Placer County. Food can be picked up only once a month and eligibility is determined yearly. Please note, distribution is dependent on donations and not all foods or brands may be available. To learn more, please visit Placer SPCA’s website and email them at the address listed.

Sacramento SPCA

Sacramento SPCA operates a free pet food “PawPantry”. Pet food assistance must be applied for and is open to anyone who is apart of California Advantage (EBT), SMUD Energy Assistance, Medi-Cal, or PGE Energy Assistance. Please contact them for more information and to apply. Contact information can be found on Sacramento SPCA’s website.

Relief Recap

Our pets provide us with so much, but providing for them is not always easy. If this is true for you, you are not alone! The cost of pet care is a burden for so many. Thankfully, there are many California free and low cost pet care resources throughout the state that could help you!