Protecting the Animals We Love, One Surgery at a Time
Jun 27, 2025
Every year, thousands of pets enter Chicago’s shelter system simply because they were born without a home. But at PAWS Chicago, we’re fighting back with the most powerful tool we have: spay and neuter. Read how our recent Feral Cat Spay Day and upcoming CACC Spay Day are saving lives—and how you can be part of the solution.
Every year, as spring turns to summer, animal shelters across our city face a heartbreaking surge—hundreds of kittens and puppies, born without homes, entering a system already pushed to its limits. At PAWS Chicago, we refuse to accept this as the status quo. We know the root of the problem, and more importantly, we know the solution: spay and neuter.
On April 29, our teams came together for one of our most ambitious initiatives to date: Feral Cat Spay Day. In just one day, we spayed and neutered 214 feral cats at our Lurie Clinic, while also providing vaccines, flea prevention, and compassionate care. This single day of action will prevent thousands of unwanted litters and ease the burden on our city’s shelters. It was an inspiring, lifesaving day... but it was only the beginning.
We’re now gearing up for our next major effort: a CACC Spay Day on July 1, where we’ll spay and neuter 100 large dogs and cats from Chicago Animal Care and Control. These are animals whose chance at adoption hinges on a critical step: surgery. Without it, they cannot leave the shelter system. With it, they get a shot at a loving home.
This work is the single most effective strategy we have to combat the overpopulation crisis—the #1 cause of euthanasia in shelters.
At PAWS Chicago, we’ve performed over 338,450 spay/neuter surgeries since opening the Lurie Clinic. We focus our outreach in neighborhoods where the need is greatest, areas with the highest stray animal intake and the fewest veterinary resources. Each surgery represents a turning point: fewer animals born into uncertainty, fewer pets surrendered, and more lives saved.
But we can’t do this without you.
Your donation fuels these lifesaving days. It funds the supplies, transportation, and outreach needed to reach the animals who would otherwise fall through the cracks. When you give, you’re not just helping one pet—you’re helping break the cycle of homelessness.