Las Vegas — Heaven Can Wait Animal Society and Hearts Alive Village are proud to partner -at the call to action of Mayor Shelley Berkley – for “Mayor Shelley’s Spay Days,” a two-day, high-volume Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) event for community cats taking place from July 12 to July 13, 2026.
The event will provide free spay/neuter surgeries and vaccinations for approximately 175 community cats using the proven TNR model. Cats are humanely trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to their outdoor homes—preventing thousands of kittens from being born into unsafe conditions while improving public health and neighborhood quality of life.
Building on the success of similar two-day events held in May 2025 and February 2026 – during which more than 350 community cats were spayed or neutered and vaccinated – this collaboration reflects a continued commitment to prevention-focused solutions that save lives and strengthen the entire animal welfare system.
Heaven Can Wait Animal Society and Hearts Alive Village are grateful for Mayor Berkley’s leadership and continued investment in preventative animal welfare strategies. By addressing overpopulation at its source, initiatives like “Mayor Shelley’s Spay Days” help curb intake and euthanasia rates at local shelters while ensuring that the most vulnerable animals receive critical care.
The City of Las Vegas’s support is essential to the success of events like Mayor Shelley’s Spay Days, easing a financial burden that is too often carried by volunteer trappers and nonprofit partners, including Heaven Can Wait Animal Society and Hearts Alive Village. By helping offset the true cost of care – which typically exceeds what can be charged – this investment allows lifesaving services to reach more vulnerable animals while reducing strain on community members and local animal welfare organizations.
“This is what community looks like — government, nonprofits, and volunteers coming together to solve a problem at its root,” said Christy Stevens, Founder and Executive Director of Hearts Alive Village. “Every community cat that goes through this program represents a healthier, more humane Las Vegas.”
“The math is simple: one surgery today prevents hundreds of animals from suffering tomorrow,” said Rachel Bergren, Executive Director of Heaven Can Wait Animal Society. “That’s why partnerships like this one matter so much and why we keep showing up.”
Event Overview
- Sunday, July 12: Approximately 100 surgeries at Hearts Alive Village
- Monday, July 13: Approximately 75 surgeries at Heaven Can Wait Animal Society
- Surgeries will be performed by skilled veterinary teams from both organizations
- Local trapping groups will coordinate humane trapping, transport, and return of cats
Looking ahead, the partners plan to host additional sponsored spay/neuter events throughout 2026, with details to be announced in the coming months—further strengthening a collaborative, prevention-first approach to animal welfare in Southern Nevada.
Why It Matters
The reproductive potential of a single unspayed female cat is staggering. Despite a heartbreaking 75% mortality rate for kittens born on the streets before reaching six months, one female and her offspring can still produce up to 65,000 kittens in just seven years. Each surgery performed during this event represents a crucial intervention in that cycle — preventing immense suffering and supporting healthier neighborhoods.
In addition to reducing the number of unwanted litters, this event also decreases the volume of nuisance calls to Animal Protection Services (APS) caused by mating behaviors such as fighting, spraying, and yowling. It provides both an animal welfare and public health benefit, easing the burden on APS dispatch and creating a more peaceful community environment.
A United Front for Change
This event is a shining example of what can be achieved when local government, animal welfare organizations, and community advocates come together with a shared purpose. With Mayor Shelley Berkley’s continued support and a coalition of multiple animal organizations, Las Vegas is taking bold steps toward proactive, compassionate solutions to the challenges animals and residents face every day.
About Heaven Can Wait Animal Society
Founded in 2000, Heaven Can Wait Animal Society is a nonprofit dedicated to preventing unnecessary euthanasia and improving quality of life for cats and dogs through spay/neuter services, quality veterinary care, community outreach, and advocacy. The organization is committed to providing accessible services throughout Southern Nevada. In collaboration with numerous rescue organizations, shelter partners, and trap/neuter/return groups, they have helped over 200,000 animals since opening their doors and have kept an estimated 600,000 cats and dogs off the streets and out of shelters. The 501c3 organization relies on community support to fulfill their mission. Learn more at HeavenCanWaitLV.org.
About Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas
Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas (HAVLV) is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to nurture a compassionate society where animals are supported in their homes and on their journey to find a home. Hearts Alive Village provides a variety of programs including Southern Nevada’s first nonprofit, full service veterinary clinic, a pet food and supplies bank, and small and large animal rescue and rehabilitation. Since its inception in 2013, Hearts Alive Village has saved over 13,500 animals from being lost in the shelter system and prevented thousands more from entering. They also provide forensic medical investigations and care in suspected animal cruelty cases of live and deceased animals for Clark County, The City of Las Vegas, and The City of North Las Vegas. For more information please email info@heartsalivevillage.org, visit HeartsAliveVillage.org, or follow on Instagram @heartsaliveanimalrescue and Facebook at Hearts Alive Village Las Vegas.
CONTACTS:
Rachel Bergren, Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, 702-375-1078, rbergren@hcws.org
Christy Stevens, Hearts Alive Village, 702-595-0644, christy@heartsalivevillage.org
