ASPCA Receives $1.75 Million Donation to Expand Los Angeles Spay and Neuter Program

NEW YORK – Today the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) announced a life-saving donation of $1.75 million from Kathy Taggares, one of the ASPCA’s generous supporters and spay and neuter advocates for animals in Los Angeles. Kathy’s contribution is marked as the most significant donation from an individual for spay and neuter programs in L.A. 

This donation enables the ASPCA to staff a new mobile spay and neuter vehicle in L.A. for three years, which will have the capacity to alter 5,000 animals each year in areas most in need. In L.A., the annual need for affordable spay and neuter is estimated to be greater than 200,000 surgeries – and the ASPCA has found that more than half of this need is currently unmet.

“Spay and neuter surgeries are pivotal in the effort to reduce animal homelessness, suffering, and shelter overcrowding, which makes this contribution from Kathy Taggares so important,” said Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the ASPCA. “Demonstrating her incredible drive and deep passion for helping animals in need, Kathy’s support will have an enormous impact on tens of thousands of vulnerable Los Angeles animals.”

Kathy Taggares, the founder and CEO of food manufacturing company K.T.’s Kitchens, Inc., grew a passion for empowering business professionals and entrepreneurs to be philanthropic-minded. In addition to her business successes, she helps to encourage and mentor young professionals to incorporate charity into their day-to-day lives through her role in a Los Angeles business leaders and education organization. Kathy has showcased her dedication to philanthropy as an ASPCA advocate, where she brings attention to the need for affordable animal care services in underserved areas across L.A., such as South L.A., Downey, and Baldwin Park – communities where many pet owners have limited options. 

“My vision is that one day every homeless companion animal born will be able to find a loving home,” said Kathy Taggares. “This just cannot happen unless we have strong spay and neuter programs in underserved communities. It is important that these spay and neuter services be fully subsidized to remove the financial barriers.”

Over the years, Kathy has given more than $2.37 million to the ASPCA through gifts and pledges as well as by hosting fundraisers for the ASPCA’s L.A. Spay and Neuter program. 

As of July 2019, Kathy’s donations have helped animals in Los Angeles receive the vital spay and neuter services they need, including: 

• Helping spay and neuter 33,101 animals (14,110 cats, 18,632 dogs, 359 rabbits) since 2015, specifically 22,124 animals at the ASPCA South L.A. Spay and Neuter Clinic, and 10,977 on the ASPCA mobile spay and neuter vehicles.
• Pre-spaying and neutering 5,526 animals for L.A. City and L.A. County shelters, which assists the
• shelters in getting all eligible adopted animals spayed and neutered with the goal to increase the adoption rate. 
• Helping spay and neuter 715 kittens from the ASPCA’s L.A. Kitten Foster Program in L.A. County, enabling the ASPCA to help more “pee wee” kittens, ages 4-8 weeks, so they can get adopted or relocated to loving homes more quickly. Kittens under 8 weeks old are one of the most vulnerable animal populations in L.A.

The ASPCA believes accessible and affordable spay and neuter is an important part of creating a healthy community for cats and dogs, so the ASPCA developed programs to offer fully subsidized, high-quality spay and neuter surgeries for residents of L.A. City and L.A. County. The ASPCA provides spay and neuter services directly to underserved communities and pet families at the South L.A. Spay and Neuter Clinic and at two mobile clinics in L.A. County.

For more information about the ASPCA’s spay/neuter services in Los Angeles, please visit https://www.aspca.org/animal-protection/los-angeles-initiative/aspca-los-angeles-spay-neuter-clinics.