Created in Queensland 11 years ago and now nation-wide, Operation Wanted is a major and successful annual desexing initiative marking the collaboration of local councils, local participating veterinary clinics and RSPCA. Participating veterinary clinics offer 20% discount off their usual desexing fee to people who have registered online and received a unique desexing discount code.

The Operation Wanted campaign runs each year from June 1 – August 31.

You can register for the discount by clicking here. Once you submit the form, you will be given a unique ID and it will be emailed to you also. You will then just need to provide the unique discount code to the participating vet to redeem the offer.

Dogs and cats only.

Your pet will receive a check-up first to make sure they are healthy and okay to have the surgery. Then your pet will be given a general anaesthetic so that they sleep throughout the whole procedure. Surgery on animals meets the same high standards as surgery on humans and your pet will be in good hands.

Desexing your pet involves an operation to permanently remove their ability to reproduce. There are numerous health and behavioural benefits to having the operation. It’s something every responsible pet owner should do.

This can depend on the age and size of your pet as well as whether there are any medical conditions which might complicate the procedure. Generally, however, desexing is considered a day surgery and your pet will be back home with you on the same day. If your pet is older, larger or complications arise during the surgery he/she may need to stay in to be monitored for longer, and possibly overnight.

Once they are awake and able to drink water they are ready to be discharged into your care. You will be given detailed instructions to follow and it is important that you do so. You will usually need to bring your pet back to have stitches removed in about 10 days.

The most important thing with any animal that has undergone surgery is to make sure you continue to monitor him/her for a couple of days post-surgery. You must follow your vet's instructions closely and one of the most important instructions will probably be to keep your pet quiet - this means no long walks or games, even if your pet seems keen.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye on the wound site and gently bathe it if necessary. It is usually okay to return your pet to its normal diet straight away but don't give any bones for the first week post-op. Monitor bowel movements as constipation should be avoided if possible.

Some pets can reach sexual maturity and reproduce from only 4-6 months old. This is particularly true for cats who can fall pregnant as young as 4 months of age. Therefore, cats should be desexed at about 4 months of age before they have the chance to get pregnant. It is very safe for cats to be desexed at 4 months. For dogs, it is best to consult your veterinarian about the best age for desexing as the best age can vary with breed and size.

Desexed animals generally live a longer, happier life and their temperament and overall health are greatly improved. They are generally less likely to get diseases such as urine infections, mammary and ovarian diseases in females and perineal hernias, testicular and prostate cancer in males. Your pet’s ‘normal’ behaviour will remain unaffected. Desexing commonly reduces behaviour problems such as roaming, aggression, mounting and spraying in males. In females, it eliminates heat cycles, mating behaviour, and false pregnancy.

It prevents your pet adding to the number of unwanted kittens and puppies born each year that end up at the RSPCA shelters or local council pounds, and for which no loving home can be found. For example, a cat from 4 months old can have up to 3 litters per year, resulting in tens of thousands of unwanted animals in our community.

By having your pet desexed, you will also save money with your annual council registration fee.

There is no standard set price for desexing pets, so it is best to check with your local vet in your area to obtain current pricing.

Just click on the 'Find a Vet' button at the top of this page. Participating veterinary clinics near you will be listed. To make a booking, contact your local participating clinic.

We invite many veterinary clinics to be part of the program, but some clinics feel the initiative is not suitable for their clinic and choose not to join. Some clinics may just need some encouragement, so, by all means, encourage your local vet to participate in the program by getting them to contact [email protected] to sign up.