The PALS (Prevent Another Litter Subsidy) program is offered by the Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) to reduce our community’s homeless pet population by assisting people who do not have the financial ability to spay or neuter their animals. Citizens of Edmonton and surrounding communities with low income can apply to have their dog(s) and/or cat(s) spayed/neutered through PALS, and pay only the administration fee.
Help Prevent Another Litter
Each year we assisting thousands of animals and pet guardians in reducing homeless animals and unwanted litters.
This program is accessible for low-income people living in Edmonton and surrounding communities who have a cat or dog between the ages of 4 months to 6 years, that are healthy and that need to be spayed/neutered.
A limited number of appointments are available each month, once full, the application portal closes until the second Monday of the next month, when it will reopen to fill the upcoming month’s appointments. If the application portal is closed, please bookmark this page and check back the next month.
To access this program please see the steps below and click on the Frequently Asked Questions links for more information.
How to Apply for the PALS Program
STEP 1: Obtain Your Proof of Low-Income
- Proof of income is required based on the Canadian Low Income thresholds available here, and must show your full name.
- Documents include any government-issued paperwork stating your yearly household income, such as:
- AISH card
- Social Assistance Statement (full benefit statement)
- Tax NOA (web and mailed version)
- Documents include any government-issued paperwork stating your yearly household income, such as:
Please click here to see examples of documents that must be submitted.
Note: We CANNOT accept paystubs, bank statements, or T4’s.
STEP 2: Confirm Your Payment
- Payment is required when you apply and does not guarantee your appointment
- Payment is processed through PayPal online
- You do not need a PayPal account if you pay by credit or prepaid card
- Administration fees for this program are non-refundable
- Fees are $40 per animal (cats or dogs)
Note: If you do not submit payment via PayPal, your application will NOT be submitted.
STEP 3: Submit Your Application
Once you have have your proof of income and are ready to process payment, fill out the applications form available on this page
Before you apply, please be aware that…
- The application process can take up to 14 days
- If approved, appointments are typically booked two (2) months in advance so there may be a considerable wait time between your approval and your appointment.
- If your pet is in heat:
- You must advise us during your application. For the safety of the animal we may need to adjust your booking time.
- If your pet is 6 years or older:
- Applications are approved on a case-by-case basis and animals over 7 years of age cannot be accepted for this program.
STEP 4: Await Confirmation
Completed applications are normally reviewed within 14 days. If not approved, you will receive a notice that your application was not successful. If you are interested in reapplying, please ensure you meet the eligibility criteria as outlined in Step 1.
PLEASE NOTE: If you don’t get a confirmation email within 24 hours, your application did not complete and you will need to reapply. This most often happens because of missing or incomplete payment.
Applications for the 2024 PALS program are open!
Due to high demand, the portal opens on the second Monday of every month and closes when the upcoming month’s appointments are filled. Please check back regularly.
Note: Applying for an appointment does not guarantee your booking. Please mark EHS as a trusted sender and check your email for more information regarding your application.
To access the PALS Application Portal, click the button below:
Mobile PALS Unit
We’re taking our spay and neuter services on the road and coming to communities throughout Edmonton, this summer. The Mobile PALS Unit helps to make our PALS spay and neuter program more accessible.
The Mobile PALS 2023 season will run from the last week of April to the end of June. The application portal will open the second Monday of March to fill April and May appointments and the second Monday of April to fill June appointments. The application portal will automatically close once the appointments for the Mobile unit are filled.
Note: PALS Mobile can only accommodate small dogs (under 35 lbs) and there are a limited number of appointments available.
Applications for the 2023 Mobile PALS Unit season are now closed.
Please check back later to see when our applications open again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why spay and neuter your pets?
- Prevent unwanted litters and reduce pet overpopulation
- Reduces unwanted behaviours such as roaming, spraying, mounting, persistent barking or meowing
- Decreases the likelihood of fight-related injuries
- May increase life span of pet
- Reduces risks of medical problems, such as certain types of cancer
Each year, unplanned and unwanted litters create millions of homeless pets. Spaying and neutering is one of the steps we can take to get at the root of pet overpopulation, preventing unwanted litters and reducing the number of homeless pets.
Did you know?
Cats can give birth to three litters a year, with litters ranging in size from 6-12 kittens. Dogs can give birth to two or three litters a year, with litters ranging in size from 5-15 puppies depending on the size of the dog. Over five years, the impact of spaying or neutering just one cat or dog could prevent approximately 248,832 unplanned puppies or kittens in the Edmonton area [1].
Funding from Pet Valu and the City of Edmonton help to make this program possible!
