County helps pet owners pay for spaying/neutering

In order to reduce the number of unwanted pets in the community, the county and six participating cities are offering pet owners $75 coupons to have their female dogs, cats or rabbits spayed and $25 coupons to have their male dogs, cats or rabbits neutered.

The coupons, which are accepted by veterinarians throughout the county, are available to residents of the unincorporated areas of the county and the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach, San Diego and Santee.

The coupons are available, while supplies last, at the three county animal shelters, located in Mission Valley, Bonita and Carlsbad.

In addition to the coupons, residents can visit http://www.sddac.com, where they will find a list of veterinarians who perform the surgery at a reduced cost. Combine the coupon with one of those veterinarians and the entire cost of the surgery may be covered.

Eligible residents may also obtain a coupon by calling Pet Assistance at (619) 544-1222 or the Spay-Neuter Action Project at (619) 525-3047.