Bogotá rolls out free pet sterilization program with over 8,000 slots

The Instituto Distrital de Protección y Bienestar Animal (IDPYBA) in Bogotá has opened more than 8,000 free sterilization slots for dogs and cats during June. The initiative targets households in socioeconomic strata 1‑3 and seeks to curb animal overpopulation, reduce abandonment and improve public health.

Vaccines will be performed through mobile units that will travel to neighborhoods such as Kennedy, Suba, Bosa, Usme, San Cristóbal, Engativá and others, while a fixed site at the IDPYBA animal‑care unit and another at the National University’s veterinary school will handle about 2,400 procedures. Eligible pets must be between four months and eight years old, in good health, and presented after a required fasting period. Owners must provide a valid ID, a recent utility bill proving residence in the eligible strata, and ensure dogs are leashed (and muzzled if necessary) and cats are placed in carriers.

The program is part of the city’s public‑health and animal‑welfare strategy, aiming to lower the incidence of reproductive‑related diseases, aggressive behaviors and stray‑animal problems in Bogotá’s most vulnerable districts.