Access to Veterinary Care Provided at

2026 World Spay Day Clinics

June 12, 2026

By Heather Schrader, RVT, MCJ, CVA, FFCP

HumaneVMA Senior Program Manager of Student Outreach

Many factors are still making access to basic veterinary resources unattainable for families with companion animals. The rising cost of veterinary medical care (ie. vaccinations, spay/neuter, parasite prevention), inflation affecting other daily needs such as gas and groceries, and the veterinary staff crisis create a perfect storm of need across the country. Annual World Spay Clinics have become a vital resource for many communities and veterinary students play a major role in organizing and participating in these events. HumaneVMA has supported World Spay Day for 16 years by providing grants to clinics involving veterinary professional student volunteers, thus giving students hands-on experience and the skills to provide these essential services once they become professionals. In addition to providing much needed surgeries, these clinics recognize Spay/Neuter Awareness Month (February) and World Spay Day (February 24). HumaneVMA supported six clinics in 2026 with $1,000 grants, resulting in the spay/neuter of 256 dogs and cats.

Lincoln Memorial University

Veterinary students attending Lincoln Memorial University CVM volunteered with Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation/Friends of Blount County Animal Center to provide a TNR clinic for the Knoxville community. On February 28th, ten student volunteers and three staff members performed 26 spay/neuter surgeries! This successful event was organized by Bailey Cox, a second-year LMU vet student. She stated, “Participating in our World Spay Day TNR event was easily one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had in veterinary school so far. Not only were we able to make a direct impact by helping reduce the feral cat population in an underserved community, but we also gained invaluable hands-on experience that you just can’t replicate in a classroom. Performing my first feline neuter under supervision was both exciting and empowering—it reinforced my clinical skills, built my confidence, and reminded me exactly why I chose this profession. This event perfectly combined community outreach, animal welfare, and student education in a way that was truly unforgettable.”

Michigan State University

Michigan State University CVM students, led by HumaneVMA volunteer Barbara Moore, and Dr. David Emery, HumaneVMA faculty advisor and Assistant Professor of Primary Care Medicine, collaborated with Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) to recognize World Spay Day. Dr. Caitlyn Rize led the HSHV team in assisting 22 veterinary and veterinary technician students with spay/neuter surgeries on February 28. (Fun fact: Dr. Rize was a Compassionate Care Scholarship recipient in 2019!) The team provided vaccinations and surgery for 22 shelter animals and community cats. Daniela Vibriesca, MSU CVM class of 2027, stated "Being part of the spay and neuter day reminded me why I chose veterinary medicine, which is to help animals and support the people who care for them. It was such a rewarding experience to contribute to something that makes a real difference."

Ohio State University

On February 28, 15 veterinary students attending Ohio State University CVM joined Rascal Charities, Inc. at their Dublin, OH, location. HumaneVMA's OH State Representative, Dr. Michelle Gonzalez, is the founder and Medical Director of this non-profit which provides veterinary care to community members in need of financial assistance for pet and community cat care. Alongside staff, the students helped with spay/neuter surgeries and administration of vaccinations for 112 dog and cats in the community. Basic wellness and medical treatments were also provided.

University of Florida

Operation Catnip of Gainesville (FL) worked with veterinary students attending University of Florida CVM to organize a World Spay Day clinic on February 21st. Founded by Dr. Julie Levy, Fran Marino Endowed Distinguished Professor of Shelter Medicine Education at the UFL CVM, this MASH-style clinic model provides services for local community cats. Twenty students and four DVMs (including our HumaneVMA faculty advisor and 2018 Compassionate Care Scholarship recipient, Dr. Kelly Dulli) participated in this event. Services, including spay/neuter surgeries, were provided for 36 cats at no cost to their caretakers! Briana Drabik, UFL CVM class of 2027, stated, "I really enjoyed being part of Spay Day. It was a valuable experience to help provide accessible care to the community while gaining hands-on surgical skills, and it reinforced the importance of making veterinary care more accessible."

University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine students and Green Valley Humane Society organized a spay/neuter clinic on February 28. Twenty eight veterinary student volunteers split into teams to provide examinations, sedation, vaccination and microchip administration, anesthesia monitoring, surgical assistance and recovery. Over the course of the day, 33 cats received life saving services - 29 community cats and 4 from a local rescue. Dr. Karen Hershberger-Braker, Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences and faculty advisor to the HumaneVMA Student Chapter, led the team. "Participating in our regular 'Spay Days' is the highlight of my time in vet school and getting to support our volunteer effort in celebration of World Spay Day has boosted my moral these past three years immeasurably. It brings a greater sense of community to the day for me, more so even than the wonderful sense of supporting your local community but then being an active part of a global effort. It means the world to me! No pun intended. These wonderful days have been some of my favorites these last three years due to the visible impact we can help make & the tangible skills gained in each, from supporting organization of the day to performing sterilization surgeries," stated Kristalyn Benson, class of 2027.

Virginia-Maryland

Nine veterinary student volunteers attending Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine participated in two clinics held by Pulaski Animal Wellness Services (PAWS) at the Pulaski County Animal Shelter. Drs. Trina Murphy and Laura Nelson helped mentor students as they provided spay and neuter services for 29 animals - some through their TNVR Community Cat initiative and others who are owned by low income community members. Student volunteers participated in all aspects of the clinics including client check-in, anesthesia induction, surgery, recovery and patient discharge/client education. Dr. Trina Murphy commented, "Thank you again for supporting this wonderful opportunity for students to obtain experience in a shelter surgical program: we feel that it provides invaluable exposure to shelter medicine, and hopefully instills enthusiasm for their future participation in serving their communities."