Contributed by Peggy McCarthey, Georgia Pet Coalition
DeKalb County, Georgia, has embarked on a multi-prong strategy to reduce local pet overpopulation and shelter overcrowding with an initiative known as Save Our DeKalb Animals (SODA). Recognizing the urgent need for spay/neuter services in the county’s “hot spots,” or zip codes contributing most to animal service calls and shelter impounds, Commissioner Michelle Long Spears allocated public funding to host the county’s first-ever free Spayathon, held May 2-3, 2025.
The two-day event, hosted at LifeLine Community Animal Center and PAWS Atlanta, provided free spay/neuter surgeries to 195 dogs and cats, including large-breed and brachycephalic dogs, which require longer surgical times and reduce daily surgical capacity for high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) teams.
While more is needed to stem the flow of unintended litters in DeKalb County, this Spayathon marks a promising start. Public funding has already been appropriated for several more events in 2025, with free spay/neuter surgeries for at least 500 more animals planned.
This highly collaborative effort brought together public and private partners. The initial proposal was submitted by Lisa Milot (former professor with the UGA School of Law) in collaboration with the Georgia Pet Coalition. Over a four month planning period, partners worked to recruit veterinary teams and volunteers, establish day-of protocols, create community outreach materials, implement a scheduling system, and coordinate free transportation for pet owners.
The DeKalb County Spayathon demonstrates what’s possible when the local government invests in preventive strategies for pet population management and partners with nonprofits to amplify impact.
Special thanks are due to:
- DeKalb County Commissioner Michelle Long Spears and staff
- LifeLine Animal Project, Andrea Peterson, and staff
- LifeLine Community Animal Center, Dr. Susan Brosman, and medical staff
- PAWS Atlanta, Crystal Bowman, and medical staff
- Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Ellard
- Spay Neuter Vets, Dr. Emi Kooyman and vet team
- Dr. Janet Martin and vet team
- GVMA, Dr. Keri Riddick
- Lisa Milot
- Georgia Pet Coalition
- K9 Chauffeur for providing free transportation
- Jason’s Deli for providing discounted hospitality for veterinary teams
United Spay Alliance is proud to partner with stakeholders in DeKalb County, with the support of Commissioner Michelle Long Spears and the SODA initiative. So far, we have facilitated two HQHVSN training sessions for veterinarians, including our first-ever training focused specifically on dogs. With additional trainings on the horizon, we’re excited to see where this collaborative and impactful model will lead for cats, dogs, and people in DeKalb County.
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Peggy McCarthey is a volunteer and Board Member for the GA Pet Coalition, which lobbies for state and local companion animal protection policies. In this capacity, she has helped with the passage of three state laws pertaining to the veterinary shortage in the nonprofit sector and a prohibition on the transient sales of pets in unregulated outdoor locations. Since 2018, Peggy has been involved with the passage of 12 local ordinances as well as initiatives related to increasing HQHVSN spay/neuter in Georgia.