Rabies is one of the oldest and deadliest diseases known to humanity, but it is also one of the most preventable. Thanks to decades of collaboration between human and animal health professionals, rabies cases in the United States are rare today. Fewer than 10 human deaths occur each year, a sharp decline from the hundreds of lives lost annually before the 1960s.

So, what changed? The CDC points to three things: widespread vaccination of pets, strong animal control programs, and public health tracking. At the center of all of these is the work of animal welfare organizations—work that United Spay Alliance helps communities strengthen every day.

Spay/Neuter: A First Line of Defense

Spay/neuter is not only an animal welfare service—it’s a proven public health tool. By reducing the number of unowned and free-roaming animals, we reduce the chances that pets and people will come into contact with rabid wildlife. Vaccines administered during spay/neuter surgery or as part of sheltering and rehoming programs provide a crucial layer of protection.

At United Spay Alliance, we work to make spay/neuter services affordable, accessible, and timely, because prevention only works when every community can use it. Through our national referral directory, State Leader Network, and veterinarian training programs, we help connect families, clinics, and animal welfare groups with the resources they need to protect both animals and people.

Current Challenges

Across the nation, shelters are struggling. Many are being advised to turn away animals, sending them back into communities unaltered and unvaccinated. Funding for spay/neuter has become increasingly difficult to access, even though it remains the most cost-effective and only humane solution to overpopulation.

This is where United Spay Alliance steps in. We provide tools, education, and advocacy support to help local leaders keep prevention strong—because when spay/neuter access declines, public health risks rise.

Community Cat Success

Community cat programs show what’s possible when prevention is prioritized. Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (often referred to as TNR) initiatives stabilize populations, reduce shelter intake, and deliver rabies vaccines to the very populations most at risk. United Spay Alliance helps communities learn from these models, adapt them locally, and scale their impact.

How You Can Help

United Spay Alliance is committed to building healthier, safer communities by championing spay/neuter and vaccination. But we can’t do it alone. You can help by:

• Advocating for Neuter Before Adoption, and against policies that bar shelters from accepting strays or owner-surrendered pets.
• Supporting funding for spay/neuter and vaccination programs—proven, cost-effective tools that protect both animals and people.
• Partnering with United Spay Alliance to explore spay/neuter models and solutions that fit your community’s unique needs. 

Prevention is Public Health

The rabies story in the U.S. shows that prevention works. But success isn’t guaranteed, it requires ongoing investment and advocacy. Spaying and neutering remains the only proven way to humanely and cost-effectively prevent overpopulation, while vaccination protects us all from disease.

This World Rabies Day, United Spay Alliance reaffirms our commitment to prevention—for healthier animals, safer communities, and a stronger public health future.

Learn more about how spay/neuter protects public health and find resources for your community on our Public Health page.