Friends of Animals Program

The DeWitt Animal Hospital is proud to participate in the Friends of Animals Spay/Neuter Program. This program helps to defer some of the costs associated with spay/neuter surgeries so that each pet owner can help in the decline of pet overpopulation. The Friends of Animals certificate covers the costs of a cursory (not full) surgical pre-exam, anesthesia, surgical procedure, waste disposal, day of surgery post-operative care and pain-relief, hospitalization as required, and stitch removal if necessary.

There ARE additional fees that the Friends of Animals Certificate does not cover. Please call our office to discuss applicable fees. 

As of 10/1/2021; a deposit of $50 will be taken at the pre-surgical exam when the surgery is scheduled. This deposit will go toward the balance due on the day of surgery. If a surgery needs to be cancelled or rescheduled, you MUST call 48-hours prior to the day of surgery, or your deposit will no longer be valid/refunded, and another one must be paid when booking another date.

 We recommend viewing our Hospital Policies for more information.

Vaccinations are the responsibility of the pet-owner. The following requirements MUST be met PRIOR to scheduling an appointment at our facility.
Records must be reviewed by our office prior to an appointment being scheduled. 

Dogs:

1. Must have proof of a minimum of 2 Distemper/Leptospirosis/Parvo (DHLPP) vaccinations administered by a licensed veterinarian, with the last one given after 16 weeks of age or within the last year.
2. Rabies vaccination is required by New York State Law and must be current.
3. New patients must have a pre-surgical examination performed at DeWitt Animal Hospital prior to scheduling surgery.

Cats:

1. Must have proof of a minimum of 2 Distemper (FVRCP) vaccinations administered by a licensed veterinarian, with the last one given after 16 weeks of age or within the last year.
2. Rabies vaccination is required by New York State Law and must be current.
3. All cats must be tested for Feline Leukemia/FIV prior to surgery with the minimum acceptable age of 12 weeks.
4. New patients must have a pre-surgical examination performed at DeWitt Animal Hospital prior to scheduling surgery. 

Ask the veterinarian about any additional charges before the spay/neuter procedure is performed. All services requested unrelated to a routine spay/neuter procedure are the responsibility of the pet-owner.

The veterinarian may charge the pet-owner additional fees for non-routine procedures such as:

• pre-diagnosed infections
• undescended testicles
• animals in heat
• take-home medications
• pregnancy
• for dogs 50 lbs. and over, the increased charge is $2/lb. for 50-75 pounds, and $4/lb. for dogs 76 pounds and over.
• age
• if required by the Veterinarian, SMALL PANEL blood work must be discounted.

To maintain the safety of your pet while they are under anesthesia, intravenous fluids during the surgical procedure are required and are NOT covered by the Friends of Animals Certificate. Take-home pain medication is also required to keep your pet comfortable at home the days following the surgery, and is NOT covered by the Friends of Animals Certificate. The cost of these fluids and medications are based on the weight of your animal on the date of surgery. Please call the animal hospital directly to discuss these fees, and any other fees that may be incurred. 

Pre-Surgical Blood work is optional for our clients, but is offered at an additional cost. There are several different options for this blood work and it can be discussed at the Pre-Surgical Exam. 

As of March 1st, 2024, DeWitt Animal Hospital requires at minimum CBC pre-anesthetic bloodwork.

The Complete Blood Count test provides us with important information regarding your pet's Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, and Platelets. Red blood cells provide information regarding your pet's oxygen-carrying ability. White blood cells show us information about your pet's immune system and overall health. Platelets are important to evaluate the ability of blood to clot properly. All values can be affected by certain diseases and infections.

For the most thorough pre-surgical examination, we recommend a physical exam as well as full panel bloodwork to best determine your pet's internal health.

Please click on the Friends of Animals link to obtain information regarding purchasing a certificate to get your pet spayed/neutered.

Once you order a certificate it may take up to 7-10 days to be received in the mail. 

Friends of Animals recommends purchasing your certificate after contacting your veterinarian and scheduling for surgery. If you do not have your certificate in time for your scheduled surgery, you may pay full cost for the procedure and be reimbursed once the FOA certificate has been provided to the office. Full payment is due at the time of service.