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 “Special Spay/Neuter Program” is for cat and dog owners who meet low-income eligibility thresholds and reside in Montgomery County, MD

Proof of residency in Montgomery County and evidence that the household qualifies as low-income under the current Maryland guidelines is required.

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

AWLMC is working with several local veterinary practices who will perform the surgical procedure for a discounted fee to AWLMC. Eligible applicants for the “Special Spay/Neuter Program” will receive a Certificate naming a specific veterinary practice.  The surgery can only be performed by the veterinary practice named on the Certificate.

Some veterinarians may require additional fees. Please see “Additional Fees” in the pricing section below.

Please complete the application form below and you will receive a confirmation page following the completion of your application form. We will review your application and, if you are eligible, you will receive a Certificate and instructions in the mail or via email.

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. You must give the Certificate to the Veterinary Practice on the day of the surgery.

AWLMC will only pay for the spay/neuter surgery. Services included in the fee for surgery include a preoperative exam, anesthesia and pain medication during the surgery, the sterilization procedure, and stitch removal after the surgery, if needed.

Other service charges due on the day of surgery that must be paid by the pet owner/certificate holder may include but are not limited to vaccinations, laboratory tests, medications, additional physical examinations, other treatments or boarding. The certificate holder is also responsible for all additional charges that result from complications such as pregnancy, obesity or other medical conditions, or if the pet weighs over 60 lbs.

We suggest you ask the Veterinary Practice in advance for an estimate of the fees for additional services you will be expected to pay on the day of surgery.

• Pet owners must schedule appointments with the participating veterinary practice listed on the Certificate.
• Owners must transport the pet to and from the veterinary appointment in a cat carrier or on a dog leash.
• Owners must use the Certificate at the assigned participating veterinarian within 60 days of issuance.
• Your pet may be rejected or rescheduled by the veterinarian if they deem the surgery should not be performed due to health concerns for the pet.
• A valid rabies certificate must be presented to the assigned participating veterinarian, or a rabies vaccination will be given for a nominal charge, which must be paid by the Certificate holder at the time the cat or dog is picked up.

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

If you are not the same person who completed the application 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.