Community Outreach

Through Chompers Pet Food Bank the AWLMC provides pet food to pet guardians who are facing economic hardship, so they have the means necessary to keep their companion animals. The Chompers Pet Food Bank was established in 2010 to address a need in our community and is now a permanent part of our services to Montgomery County. Many participants are senior citizens with multiple animals in their households. We found that some were feeding their animals instead of themselves or forgoing needed medicines before finding our program. Our goal is to keep animals in their homes with humans who love them rather than in shelters or on the street.

Since the start of this program, we have distributed over 65,000 pounds of free pet food to community members in need. Chompers Pet Food Bank serves an average of 30 pet guardians and a 100 cats and dogs each month.

• Families in need will be served on a first‐come, first‐served basis.
• The program applies to household pet cats and dogs only.
• Participants must show proof that animals are spayed or neutered.
• Participants must show proof that they reside within Montgomery County, MD.
• Participants must affirm that they are the owners of each pet listed and the pet resides with the owner.
• Participants must be in economic need, proof may be required.
• The pet food bank is not to be used for feeding foster care animals, outdoor community animals, Trap‐Neuter‐Release (TNR) or feral colonies.
• Participant must come to the distribution center at 12 Park Avenue in Gaithersburg, MD.
• No distribution will be made to an individual for family members, neighbors or friends.
• Participants are not able to specify brand of pet food. Various brands are given out at different times.
• Participants must agree not to adopt any additional pets while in the program.
• This program limits the number of pets per household that can receive food to ten.

Save Lives

Nationally 1.5 million pets are euthanized each year. In Maryland, that number is 45,000. These animals lost their lives simply because they did not have a home.

The AWLMC is a No-Kill shelter but many shelters are not. Overall a pet will only have a 50% chance of survival in the shelter system. While the number of animals being euthanized is tragic, that number has decreased over the years due to pet owners being responsible and having their pets spayed or neutered. Save a life by preventing homeless pets, spay or neuter your pets!

Reduce Behavior Issues 

Unaltered male cats and dogs are more likely to roam outside, be aggressive, or exhibit spraying or marking behavior.

Unaltered female cats and dogs will go into heat, resulting in unpleasant behavior such as loud yowling and can attract males from miles away.

Reduce Health Risks 

Spayed female cats and dogs have a reduced risk of developing mammary tumors, pyometra (a fatal uterine infection), uterine cancer, and other cancers of the reproductive system.

Neutering male pets eliminates their chances of getting testicular cancer, prevents enlargement of the prostate gland, and lowers the risk of prostate cancer.

This Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program is for cat and dog owners who are in financial need and reside in Montgomery County, MD (proof may be requested). This program is for residents who have an annual household income of $60k or less and/or receive state or federal assistance.

This program is only open to cat and dog owners. Certificates must be used by the pets’ owners.

This program is  NOT open to feral cats or other rescue groups.

AWLMC has partnered with four local veterinary hospitals who will perform the procedure:

• Canal Clinic Veterinary Hospital – Potomac*
• Neighborhood Veterinary Associates – Clarksburg*
• Negola’s Animal Care – Columbia
• Lake Forest Animal Hospital – Gaithersburg

* Some vets may require additional fees. Please see “Additional Fees” in pricing below.

Please complete our application form below and you will receive a confirmation page following the completion of your application form. We will review your application and you should receive your certificate and instructions regarding the procedure in the mail or via email within 1-2 weeks after completing your application. 

We are an all-volunteer organization and we will do our best to get the certificate to you as soon as possible.

Please read the instructions carefully and contact the veterinarian listed on your certificate to schedule the procedure. Please remember to bring the certificate with you to the vet. You will be paying the vet directly for the procedure.

The certificate will cover a physical exam, anesthesia, pain medication during the surgery, and the sterilization procedure.

• $100** per Cat
• $150** per Dog (under 60lbs)

**Additional Fees may apply for:

• Pet owners choosing Canal Clinic will have an additional charge for post-surgery pain medication.
• Pet owners choosing Neighborhood Veterinary Associates will have an additional charge of $25. The cost of the procedure will be $125 for cats and $175 per dog, plus any other additional fees.
• Cats and Dogs in heat
• Dogs over 60lbs
• Animals that are not up to date on their rabies vaccinations

Any complications during surgery may increase the vet’s fees.

• Pet owners must schedule appointments with the participating veterinarian listed on the certificate.
• Owners must transport the pet to and from the veterinary appointment in a cat carrier or on a dog leash.
• The pet cannot have any food or drink 12 hours prior to surgery; vet clinic will discuss this when booking the appointment.
• Owners must use the Certificate at a participating veterinarian within 60 days of issuance.
• Pet may be rejected or rescheduled by the veterinarian if they deem the pet’s health is insufficient to undertake surgery.
• A valid rabies certificate must be presented to participating veterinarian, or a rabies vaccination will be given for a nominal charge, which must be paid at the time the cat or dog is picked up.
• Additional disclaimers may appear on the actual certificate.

For more information, please contact us at: spayneuter@awlmc.org.

If you are not the same person who completed the form, but is paying for the procedure, please put the applicant’s name in the memo line along with the pet’s name.  

The AWLMC intake program evaluates and accepts cats and kittens into the AWLMC shelter and/or foster system from three sources: 1) local municipal shelters 2) public surrenders 3) other rescue groups.

Our organization has a limited amount of space and resources. Due to these limitations our intake program will only accept friendly, healthy, well behaved cats.

If you are looking to re-home your cat or kitten, please review the information below before submitting your online application.

Must test negative for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia (FeLV) – tested within 30 days of coming into the shelter.

Cats cannot have any chronic medical or physical issues

Cats cannot have behavioral issues such as not using a litter box, spraying, urine marking, chronic biting or aggressiveness.

Cats over 6 years old must be in excellent health to be considered as we do not accept many over this age.

Cats must be indoor only.

Stray cats will not be accepted. Please report stray cats to your local municipal shelter so they can be reunited with their families or taken in and prepared for adoption.

Kittens must be non-feral, able to be handled, and in good health.

New kittens go into foster care with our volunteers and therefore we are unable to accept kittens that are still dependent on their mother or require bottle feeding. Please contact your local municipal shelter to find care for an orphan or feral kitten.

Even if your cat meets our requirements, please consider how they will do at our mostly cage-free shelter. Our shelter is often full and has volunteers and visitors going in and out of the rooms. If your cat does not get along with other cats or is easily stressed, our shelter may not be the best place for them.

If your cat has a behavioral issue, please be honest with potential adopters and rescue organizations, be specific about the problem, including contributing factors and solutions you have tried. Look online for ways to work with your cat’s behavior issues, such as The Humane Society’s Cat Answer Tool and other resources.

Moving? Search for cat-friendly housing or try to negotiate an agreement with your landlord.

Previously adopted from another rescue group or shelter? Contact them first as they usually require that the cat be returned to them when possible.

Contact your local municipal shelter.

Go to www.Petfinder.com to locate a rescue group in your area that may accept your cat or kitten.

Need to re-home an animal other than a cat or kitten? Try www.Petfinder.com

Once an intake application is received, you will be contacted within 48 hours in most cases.

A donation may be requested to help pay for the animal’s care.