Free spay-neuter program ends

Blaming dwindling city funds, the Department of Animal Services says it will no longer issue certificates for free and discounted spay and neuter surgeries - just months after officials required Los Angeles pet owners to fix their pets. Daily News.

Veterinarians and pet owners said the decision will not only hit pet owners in the pocketbook, but also affect the general community by triggering a surge in the feral cat population.

"Animal Services is not immune to the current economic downturn," General Manager Ed Boks said in a statement released this week announcing the end of the program.