Harris County residents can now access low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for their pets thanks to a $300,000 investment from the office of Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a longtime advocate of reducing the region’s animal overpopulation.
About the program
Precinct 3 partnered with Harris County Public Health and animal welfare nonprofit PetSet to create a mobile clinic that will travel around unincorporated Harris County over the next several months. Leaders said on top of providing affordable pet care, the initiative aims to improve public safety by reducing strays around the county over time.
“Spay and neuter is the most effective tool we have to reduce stray populations long term,” Ramsey said during an April 28 news conference. “One spay and neuter can prevent 67,000 puppies [and] 370,000 cats in a six-year period.”
For $20 per dog and cat, PetSet veterinarians will perform spay or neuter surgeries, microchipping and vaccinations in the mobile facility. PetSet co-President Tena Lundquist Faust said the bundle of services would typically cost $300 to $700 at a standard veterinary clinic.
“Animal overpopulation is not just an animal issue; it’s a public health and public safety crisis,” Faust said. “This is a bold and meaningful step, especially after years of advocacy calling for prevention-based solutions.”
According to PetSet’s website, requirements for the services include:
- Limit two animals per owner
- Pets must be 4 months-6 years old and weigh at least 4 pounds
- Dogs must weigh less than 80 pounds (those over the weight limit will be referred to low-cost veterinarians)
- No current strays or foster animals
- Animals must be on a leash or in a carrier
Ramsey said the clinic can provide about 25 surgeries in a day and will reach a total of 2,220 before the end of the year. Funding for the program comes from a $1 million annual investment directed by Ramsey to support HCPH’s Veterinary Division, staff said.
Why it matters
Harris County is estimated to have approximately 1 million strays, and public health officials said the county reported nearly 1,200 stray animal bite cases in the past year.
Additionally, officials said local shelters are feeling the strain of overpopulation as intake numbers have trended up since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Corey Steele, HCPH’s director of veterinary public health, said the county’s animal control officers receive about 30,000 calls per year. Harris County Pets has taken in about 4,100 animals so far in 2026, 88% of which were strays, he said.
Harris County updated its euthanasia policy in 2024 to address shelter overcrowding, cutting an animal’s length of stay before it’s considered for euthanasia from 30 to 15 days, Community Impact previously reported.
The policy, combined with an uptick in adoptions in late 2025, has reduced overcrowding in the Harris County Pets shelter, according to Community Impact reporting, but officials said euthanasia and adoption are not long-term solutions for decreasing animal homelessness.
“Studies also show that areas with robust spay and neuter efforts experience fewer animal-related incidents [and] decreased shelter intake, which in turn lowers euthanasia rates at animal shelters,” Steele said April 28.
Learn more
The PetSet mobile clinic is set to visit a range of locations across Precinct 3 through September, with the next event scheduled for May 8 at Riley Chambers Park in Crosby. Registration for surgeries opens two weeks prior to each service date.
The clinic can hold up to 14 dogs and 20 cats, and all pets can recover in the mobile facility until they're back on their feet, PetSet staff said.
Locations for future events include:
- John Pundt Park (Spring)
- Cactus Jack Cagle Community Center (Spring)
- San Jacinto Community Center (Highlands)
- Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center (Humble)
- May Community Center (Huffman)
- Matzke Park (Cypress)
- Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth Dog Park (Cypress)
Visit www.pct3.com/petservices for the full list of dates and registration information.
