Clinic FAQ

Smoky’s Spay & Neuter Clinic performs spays and neuters for dogs and cats in the care of local government shelters and private rescue groups (registered 501c3 organizations only) as well as free-roaming, unowned community cats. For a list of low-cost spay and neuter clinics providing services for owned pets, please visit the Other Providers of Spay/Neuter Appointments section at the bottom of our main page.

Ancillary services are available at the time of spay or neuter surgery. For a complete list of services, please visit the Services section of our main page for information. Contact us with any specific questions.

Pets must typically be at least 2 lbs. or at least 2 months of age in order to be spayed or neutered in our clinic. Our veterinarians reserve the right to delay a procedure if, in their professional judgment, the pet is not healthy or big enough for surgery.

It is very important that you disclose any known medical issues for an animal at the time you schedule the animal’s appointment. Our veterinarian will review the information and discuss any concerns with you. All decisions regarding a pet’s fitness for sterilization will be made by the veterinarian. 

All animals who arrive for sterilization must have an appointment, and all appointments must be scheduled in advance. We have a self-service online scheduling system that operates on a first-come, first-serve basis for government shelters and private rescue organizations (registered 501c3s). Please contact us at snip@richmondspca.org or 804-368-6232  for registration and information on scheduling.

We offer a 30-minute grace period for drop offs and pick ups. Animals arriving more than 30 minutes late for their appointments may be charged a late fee or need to be rescheduled for another surgery day, and clients will be charged for the missed surgery. Clients picking up animals more than 30 minutes late will be charged a late fee of $15 per 15 minutes. 

Thank you for your care and concern for infant kittens. Learn what steps you should take to help them here.

We routinely perform spays on female dogs and cats when they are in heat. It is not dangerous; however, there are added risks. Surgery times are generally longer, and the incision may be larger, but recovery tends to be routine. It is important that recently-spayed, in-heat dogs and cats be kept away from male dogs or cats for 30 days following surgery.

Generally, full recovery lasts about 10-14 days post-surgery. During this time, restrict activity (leashed walks for elimination only, no baths and keep the animal calm). All sutures will dissolve with no need for them to be removed after recovery unless indicated by the medical staff. Clients will receive detailed discharge instructions when picking up the patient from surgery.

If you have any post-operative concerns, please call or email us during business hours. Outside of these hours, please seek emergency or urgent veterinary care.

First, if you have an Elizabethan collar at home, put that on the pet immediately. Second, please contact us at snip@richmondspca.org or 804-368-6232 Monday through Thursday between 7:30 and 3:30 p.m. If you believe your pet needs emergency care during hours our clinic is not open, please seek care at a local emergency veterinary hospital. If your pet is bleeding, appears uncomfortable or unsettled, has an open incision exposing underlying tissue, or has other possible complications from surgery, please seek urgent evaluation at a local emergency facility. A list of emergency/urgent care facilities are listed on the right side of this page. 

Our clinic is not a full-service veterinary hospital, and we do not currently provide vaccines to pets unless it is at the time of surgery. If your pet was administered a vaccine in our clinic, most of those vaccines will need to be boostered in two to four weeks (from the date of the original vaccine administration), so we recommend  you establish a relationship with a primary care veterinarian who can evaluate your pet and administer appropriate vaccinations and other preventatives as needed.

Previous clients of A.L. Shilling Spay and Neuter who are requesting records should email snip@richmondspca.org.

Our leadership team will determine if conditions are safe for our clinic to operate during inclement weather. If we are unable to open the clinic, we will reschedule all appointments. We will make every effort to alert clients of an unexpected closure prior to your appointment time.