April 13, 2026

Shared with permission from our friends at Pet Friendly Services of Indiana

On March 22, Pet Friendly Services of Indiana—in partnership with United Spay Alliance—hosted our first-ever canine spay/neuter surgical training lab at Elkhart Humane Society, and it was a tremendous success.

Six veterinarians were trained alongside two expert teaching veterinarians. As the day progressed, their confidence and efficiency grew quickly—so much so that by lunchtime, they had nearly completed all scheduled surgeries. To maximize the opportunity, our team coordinated with a nearby rescue to bring in a litter of five 9-week-old puppies in need of surgery. The veterinarians welcomed the chance to practice pediatric spay/neuter, helping those puppies reach their adoptive homes even sooner. Three additional cats were included at the end of the day for further hands-on experience.

In total, 34 animals from local shelters and rescues were spayed or neutered, with each veterinarian performing approximately five surgeries.

But the impact of this training goes far beyond a single day.

Across Indiana—and nationwide—communities are facing a critical shortage of veterinarians. Even when funding exists to make spay/neuter affordable, long waitlists and limited appointments availability delay care. The result is unplanned litters and increased strain on already overcrowded shelters.

By equipping veterinarians with high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter skills, we increase how many animals each veterinarian can serve. One trained veterinarian can go on to spay or neuter hundreds—if not thousands—of animals over time.

In just one day, average confidence in canine spay rose from 2.6 to 4.1, and neuter from 3.5 to 4.4. As one participant shared, “I feel confident doing spays now—even at high speed!”

This is how we address the root of pet overpopulation—by expanding both access and expertise.

We are excited to continue this work in 2026, with two additional training opportunities planned: a feline lab on June 27 in Evansville and a second canine lab on October 11 in Lafayette.