When Austi Rose moved into a house on the west side, she soon learned that her shed was home to two feral mom cats and six kittens.
“I was at a loss of what to do. I knew they all needed to be spayed and neutered,” said Rose, 25, “but finances weren’t so great at the time.”
The procedures can be costly. Most private veterinarians charge $600 to $900 to spay or neuter a pet.
But Rose found the nonprofit Hoosier Fix, which paid to spay the adult cats. Once the kittens reached the right age, they also were fixed and vaccinated.
Last year, more than 1,600 dogs and cats were euthanized in Indianapolis, according to data provided by Indianapolis Animal Care Services. Hoosier Fix works to solve the problem of animal overpopulation by providing funding to spay and neuter pets at IndyHumane. The nonprofit also offers one-on-one guidance before and after the procedures.
While several facilities charge less than full cost for spaying and neutering, Hoosier Fix is one of the only nonprofits to provide free help in Marion County. The nonprofit spayed and neutered more than 300 pets last year, mainly cats.
On the west side, the feral cats in Rose’s yard could continue living as community cats. The adult cats’ ears were tipped — a slight clip to one ear — to signal the cat has been spayed or neutered, vaccinated and chipped.
And the kittens were socialized at IndyHumane and later adopted.
Hoosier Fix, through donations and grants, paid IndyHumane for everything.
Meet the person behind Hoosier Fix
Jill Ellis is the one-woman dynamo behind Hoosier Fix.
Ellis understands the importance of stopping the revolving door that leads to too many puppies and kittens entering the world. Many end up in cages waiting for a home. Every year, hundreds never make it.
She launched the nonprofit in 2021. Since then, Hoosier Fix has provided services to more than 1,700 pets.
Ellis sees Hoosier Fix as a way to also remove a major stress point for families.
“They’re struggling financially and to know that my dog’s not fixed,” Ellis said, “and my dog could meet with his other dog then you have to keep them separated.”
More animals in a home means more money spent on food and vet care. Pets go missing or get taken back to the shelter, and the cycle goes on.
In general, IndyHumane provides discounts to pet owners who live in certain ZIP codes that see more strays and calls to the city’s animal control officers. For pets in those ZIP codes, which are listed on IndyHumane’s website, the discounted charge is $120 for dogs and $80 for cats.
Hoosier Fix also tries to give special attention to people living in those areas. Pet owners can apply through the Hoosier Fix website, and once Ellis determines the need, she walks approved applicants through the process and answers their questions. Then the pet is scheduled for the procedure.
Other nonprofits are providing help to pet owners in need, too.
FIDO, which focuses on helping dogs, pays for spaying and neutering as part of the nonprofit’s package of services.
And at FACE Low-Cost Animal Clinic, spay and neuter procedures cost a discounted $195 for dogs and $130 for cats.
Fixing other problems, too
Sometimes spaying or neutering through Hoosier Fix and IndyHumane also fixes other problems.
One client reached out to spay her female indoor cat Dory and ended up getting another issue discovered and healed.
“I needed help with the cat I had rescued. She wasn’t using the litter box,” said Crystal Durivage, 46, who lives in the Speedway area. “So Hoosier Fix said, ‘Let’s get her fixed first.’” During the procedure at IndyHumane, they discovered the cat had an abscess on her ovary, which was then removed.
Durivage said Dory returned home and started using the litter box like the other cats.
Lately, when she has some extra money, Durivage makes sure to donate to Hoosier Fix. She knows firsthand how much pets can cost, but she also knows the emotional support and love they bring into a home.
“They are like our children,” Durivage said.
E.C. Waldron is a contributor to Mirror Indy. Contact her at ecwaldronindy@gmail.com.
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