What Areas and How Many Animals Does CACF Serve?

Updated

The Companion Animal Clinic Foundation (CACF) works across 13 North Carolina counties in central North Carolina, and since 2005 it has enabled more than 100,000 spay and neuter surgeries. Its impact is measured less in clinics it runs itself than in the unwanted litters it prevents: by funding affordable sterilization at the Sandhills Spay Neuter Veterinary Clinic (SNVC), CACF keeps thousands of animals out of North Carolina shelters each year.

Where CACF operates

CACF's service area is central North Carolina, spanning 13 counties. The surgeries themselves are performed at the Sandhills Spay Neuter Veterinary Clinic, which CACF supports so that spay and neuter procedures stay affordable for local pet owners.

The regional focus matters because North Carolina has one of the highest euthanasia rates in the country. According to CACF, the state ranks third in the euthanasia of unwanted dogs and cats, behind only California and Texas.

How many animals CACF has helped

Measure Figure
Animals spayed/neutered since 2005 Over 100,000
Dogs and cats entering NC shelters in 2021 Over 100,000
Animals euthanized in NC shelters in 2021 30,000
Counties served 13

The 100,000+ sterilization surgeries represent the foundation's core output. CACF frames this as the most effective and humane way to keep unwanted pets out of shelters — each surgery prevents a litter rather than rehoming one animal at a time.

Why the numbers translate into broader impact

The surgery count is only part of the picture. CACF states that its work:

  • Keeps thousands of unwanted animals out of North Carolina shelters
  • Saves taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars by reducing the shelter population
  • Reduces the number of strays at large, which CACF identifies as a major source of shelter intake

This is the mechanism behind the foundation's mission: affordable sterilization at the point of care prevents the intake and euthanasia numbers downstream.

How to confirm current details or get involved

CACF's site lists several ways to engage — donating, volunteering, or partnering — and directs questions about any of these to its contact page. For current program details, event dates, and newsletters (including the Spring 2026 The Fix newsletter and the annual Happy Tails Ball), check the "What's new?" section of companionanimalclinic.org, since those items change over time.