The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has approved an additional $917,000 for Fix.Adopt.Save., a program that provides more affordable spay and neuter surgery services to pet owners.

FAS is a collaboration of animal welfare organizations working together to decrease pet homelessness in Maricopa County, officials said in a release. FAS began in 2012 with funding support by the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, PetSmart Charitie and the Arizona Community Foundation.

Last year, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors allocated $1 million for the initiative, which has so far resulted in nearly 5,500 spay and neuter surgeries, more than 7,500 vaccinations and more than 200 microchips, according to the release.

“These additional funds for spay and neuter services will help pet owners who may not be able to afford to provide this important care for their four-legged family members, and it will help us as we work to address the pet overpopulation issue,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jack Sellers said.

Maricopa County Animal Care & Control spays or neuters all dogs that are adopted from its shelters, but it does not provide additional spay and neuter services for other pets in the community.

The county’s allocation of $917,000 to Fix.Adopt.Save will go into effect in March 2025 and will result in an additional 5,000 surgeries, officials said.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.