Brick-and-Mortar High-Quality High-Volume Spay/Neuter (HQHVSN) Clinic
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If the need is more spay/neuter, why not try to provide as many of those surgeries as possible, as efficiently as possible, while staying as affordable as possible?
That’s the logic driving high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) clinics. These brick-and-mortar locations specialize in spay and neuter surgeries – it’s what they do! As such, veterinarians and teams hone their skills and become highly efficient with a select scope of services. As a result, they can complete those surgeries more quickly and efficiently, for much less cost.
An article about HQHVSN published in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association, written by Dr. Philip A Bushby, concluded that “factors that influence the efficiency of spay-neuter include the skill of the technical staff and the veterinary surgeons, the age of the surgical patients and the specific surgical techniques utilized. Key principles in developing efficiency in spay-neuter surgery include designating a blog of time devoted to spay-neuter, performing the surgeries at an earlier age and adopting very efficient surgical techniques.”
Plus, because many HQHVSN clinics operate as a nonprofit, the organizations may fundraise to offset the cost of service for the public. As such, they are able to offer services at a fraction of the cost.
Perhaps one of the best takeaways of all, is that HQHVSN clinics become an integral part of the community – particularly to low-income individuals. These clinics see an overwhelming number of pets who have never been to the veterinarian before. The low-cost spay or neuter surgery is their entry point. And for some, especially community cats, it may be the only veterinary care they receive in their lifetime.
There are many options for veterinarians wishing to support a HQHVSN clinic. Apart from opening or running such a location themselves, they could connect with a nonprofit organization who would be up to the challenge. As a veterinarian, they could commit to supporting the surgical piece, while the nonprofit takes care of the rest.
Veterinarians may work full-time or part-time. This may be especially appealing to veterinarians who may have retired from full-time work, but still wish to operate one to two days a week.
We recently caught up with Karen Little, Executive Director of Alley Cat Advocates, a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) organization in Louisville, Kentucky which operates a HQHVSN clinic. The organization currently provides services for 50-60 cats a day, 3 days a week.
Alley Cat Advocates has been in operation since 1999. They started their TNR work using a mobile setup in a warehouse space, where they were responsible for setting up and tearing down the clinic space week after week. After 16 years using the mobile model, they decided to outsource surgeries to other HQHVSN clinics, arranging transportation and holding areas for the cats in their care. Finally, after twenty years in operation, they opened their own HQHVSN clinic, which they have been running for 3 years.
We asked Karen to tell us a bit more about her own experience:
How do you keep the cost to the public low?
As a 501(c)3 organization, we fundraise. We bill $0 for the public from our county and $30 for spay/neuter services for those in surrounding counties. We do not charge for anything that we do for the cats beyond these costs. Examples include the 12 dental procedures we will do this month, the amputation, and the diaphragmatic repair surgery. Circling back, we fundraise! This is a business and that is where our revenue comes from.
What is the biggest benefit of having a brick-and-mortar spay/neuter clinic?
We have better quality control and accountability. We are responsible for the quality of our work.
We moved from a mobile setup in a warehouse (which we used for 16 years) to a model where we outsourced our s/n services to a HQHVSN clinic of the traditional dogs and cats model (5 years), to our own brick-and-mortar s/n clinic (now 3 years). Now we don’t have to set up and break down. We can eliminate the need to transport to and from an off-site location.
If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Do not underestimate the HR challenges that come with having a paid staff.
What’s the hardest part about getting started?
Staffing. Not necessarily recruiting staff, but recruiting quality staff who stay. (And we offer very competitive wages, health benefits, retirement, and an amazing team to work with.)
What’s the best part of running a HQHVSN clinic?
Quality control and accountability is ours to own.
Anything else vets should know re: this delivery system?
With our model, veterinarians come in, do surgeries, then go home. There are no other responsibilities, and the hours are short (9am-2pm). Vets have no clients to talk to, and the care provided is exceptional.
1 Bushby PA. High-quality, high-volume spay–neuter: Access to care and the challenge to private practitioners. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2020;22(3):208-215. doi:10.1177/1098612X20903600
About the Delivery Systems Series
Across the country, the demand for accessible spay/neuter services continues to outpace available resources. Veterinary workforce shortages, rising costs, and shifts in clinic ownership have only widened the gap.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why the Delivery Systems series explores a range of proven models, offering insights, real-world examples, and key considerations to help veterinary professionals, animal advocates, and community leaders find the right approach for their goals and local needs.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your impact, this series is designed to help you take the next step.
Real People. Real Impact.
Not sure you’re the one for the job? Don’t fret. Everyday people from all backgrounds are stepping up to expand spay/neuter in their community. If they can do it, so can you.