The subject of a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for Monterey County has received a good amount of attention recently. We all want a community where every animal is cherished and where we see an end to the heartbreak of unwanted litters. Shelters want this more than anyone. We also recognize the incredible work being done across Monterey County by everyone on the front lines of rescue. 

Because we care deeply about the animals and the families who love them, we stand with Hitchcock Road Animal Services (HRAS) in prioritizing spay/neuter accessibility over mandates. The SPCA supports the concept of a non-punitive, county-wide spay/neuter ordinance only if it’s paired with significant new funding for spay/neuter availability, community education and Animal Control staffing and enforcement. For an ordinance to save lives, rather than just penalize those most in need, it must be non-punitive and backed by accessibility to low-cost spay/neuter. We worry that an ordinance, however well-intended, may create a "poverty penalty" that hurts the most vulnerable.

• Doing the Right Thing: Our community members want to do the right thing, and as a result, every spay/neuter provider has long waitlists. A mandate doesn’t create more appointments; it only creates a legal barrier for people who are already struggling to find an appointment.

• Standing with HRAS: HRAS is doing the best they can with current staffing; field staffing has shrunk considerably. An unenforceable mandate creates an impossible burden on their team and the public.

• The Power of Access: Since 2005, our county has seen a near 50% drop in shelter intakes. This progress happened because of the hard work of rescuers and accessible spay/neuter, not mandates. The SPCA has made low-cost spay/neuter and community education essential components of our mission for 40+ years and increased these critical resources every year. 

Mandatory spay/neuter ordinance advocates note successful efforts in Seaside and Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz County Animal Services’ current leadership can’t show any positive impacts for their spay/neuter ordinance; past leaders have, but this was when their County shelter had a robust spay/neuter clinic offering daily public appointments. It’s also important to note that Santa Cruz County Animal Services has similar field staffing levels as HRAS while serving a county ⅛ the size (square miles, land) with half the residents. 

The SPCA saw a 32% drop in incoming dogs/cats/puppies/kittens from Seaside, comparing 2024 to 2025.  This is fantastic. In this same time frame, we saw decreases from all other jurisdictions but one, though none as dramatic as Seaside. The assumption, by some, is that a county-wide, mandatory spay/neuter ordinance will have the same effect. Under current conditions, this is unrealistic at best. Seaside followed the model we advocated for when they passed their ordinance: a non-punitive approach, active community education, adequate field staffing and increased access to low-cost spay/neuter.  

In terms of a County-wide ordinance, we see a vastly different situation. The agency responsible for enforcement says it cannot enforce it. HRAS has been woefully and chronically understaffed. When they have ACO openings (and they regularly have multiple positions open), it takes months to fill them because of an onerous process. The County also has an existing breeding ordinance, though ineffective and largely unknown. HRAS has a spay/neuter clinic that rarely serves the public while other providers have wait lists. 

Rather than passing another County-wide ordinance that will be unenforced, we’d like to see collective energy focused on greatly improving accessibility to low-cost spay/neuter and restoring HRAS staffing.

If an ordinance is brought forward, it must be non-punitive and paired with significant new funding for spay/neuter availability, community education, and Animal Control staffing and enforcement.

We end with a question: what is more likely to cause people with pets to act: passing an ordinance or offering low-cost services? We see the answer every day at our campus clinic and every time we hold a mobile clinic.