Specifications include, but are not limited to: • Service providers must be veterinarians or veterinary clinics licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Service providers must maintain their license throughout the entire term of the contract and furnish a copy of the license to the Department of Public Safety with any change to include service providers’ name, address or expiration date. • Service providers will provide the following treatment plan based on the animal in addition to spay or neuter surgery: o Cats: rabies and FVRCP vaccinations, pain medication, insect treatment, microchip, Elizabethan collars o Dogs: microchip, pain medication, Elizabethan collars o Any animal that cannot have vaccines will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the service providers. o Service providers shall also provide post-operative treatment instructions and offer followup care if medical complications arise. • Application to the program is required and will be administered by the Bureau of Animal Care & Control, who will be responsible for determining if an applicant is eligible for the program. Applications will be received online via the Bureau website. • Dogs are required to have a City license and current rabies vaccination at time of application. • Cats will be required to be vaccinated against rabies at the time of the procedure. If no current vaccination record is available, they will receive needed vaccinations to comply with above section at that time. • Applicants will indicate their service provider preference on the application if multiple options are available. The Bureau will make every attempt to honor applicant’s first preference; however, the Bureau reserves the right to select an alternate contracted service provider based on contract budget limitations. • There is a limit of two animals per single year, with five animals over five years, per household. The sole exception is for litters of puppies or kittens, if and only if the mother is spayed at the same time. Pittsburgh City Code §633.12 requires that no resident shall own, harbor or maintain more than five (5) dogs and/or cats, however, service providers will not be responsible for punitive action against pet owners/caregivers who have more than five (5) animals. • The Bureau will provide the documents to the service providers’ coordinators in charge of handling scheduling matters for the City of Pittsburgh Spay & Neuter Program. The service providers shall not spay or neuter animals under this program without receiving the appropriate prior approval from Bureau. • Any spay and neuter application with incomplete information and/or which is lacking required documentation will be denied. • Applicants must submit a photograph of the pet as part of the application. All dogs and cats must be compared to this photograph the day of the surgical procedure. If the photograph does not match, the applicant will be declined and considered a no-show. • If the person transporting the pet to the procedure is different from the pet owner, the application must include the name and contact information of the designated transporter. The transporter will be required to show verifying identification at the time of the appointment. • Appointment cancellations or no-shows may be rescheduled at the discretion of the service provider. The provider may elect to reschedule the appointment or instruct the applicant to reapply. Should an applicant cancel or fail to appear for an appointment twice within a single year, they may be deemed ineligible to participate in the program for a two-year period. Providers may charge a cancellation or rescheduling fee to applicants, provided that fee has been included as part of their proposal response and contract. • The Bureau of Animal Care & Control and contracted service providers reserve the right to verify locations of program utilizers, conduct occasional health and safety checks of altered animals, audit appropriate records, and otherwise ensure adherence to program requirements by all participants. • The Bureau of Animal Care & Control will clearly define all subsidies on its website.
