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Heaven Can Wait Animal Society
Heaven Can Wait Animal Society believes that every dog and cat deserves a happy, healthy life in a loving home. That is why we are dedicated to preventing unnecessary euthanasia, fighting overpopulation, and improving quality of life for cats and dogs through spay/neuter services, quality veterinary care, community outreach, and advocacy.
Established in 2000 and boasting over 215,000 spays and neuters done for pets and community cats, the organization is committed to providing accessible, foundational veterinary care throughout Southern Nevada.
Since 2000, when Heaven Can Wait Animal Society was founded by Harold Vosko and a team of passionate animal advocates, we have been at the heart of a movement to end unnecessary euthanasia and improve the lives of animals across Southern Nevada. From humble beginnings to transformative policy change, every milestone has brought us closer to a future where every pet is wanted, cared for, and safe.
2000
Our Beginning
In response to an urgent need for foundational animal care services in the Las Vegas area, a dedicated group of advocates officially forms Heaven Can Wait Animal Sanctuary with a mission to prevent animal suffering and save homeless animals.
2003
First Community Cat Clinic
Heaven Can Wait hosts its first Community Cat Clinic, providing lifesaving spay, neuter, and vaccination services to free-roaming cats—laying the foundation for one of Nevada’s most impactful community cat programs.
2009
Policy Change: Spay & Neuter Ordinance
The City of Las Vegas passes its first ordinance requiring foundational care—spay and neuter—for all pet cats and dogs, taking a major step toward reducing overpopulation, shelter intake, and preventable euthanasia.
2009
System Overload: 29,000 Animals Euthanized
The region’s largest shelter admits more than 50,000 animals and euthanizes a staggering 29,000. This stark data underscores the need for systemic change and prevention-first solutions.
2010
Opening of the Spay & Neuter Clinic
Heaven Can Wait opens its high-quality, low-cost Spay & Neuter Clinic on Eastern Avenue, offering accessible care to pet families and community cats across the valley.
2014
100,000 Patients Served
Heaven Can Wait reaches 100,000 patients served—preventing an estimated 1 million animals from being born into uncertain circumstances, about 300,000 from entering the animal welfare system, and reducing unnecessary euthanasia.
2015
Clark County Legalizes TNR
Clark County adopts ordinances permitting and encouraging Trap-Neuter-Return programming—an evidence-based approach to humanely managing and supporting community cat populations without resorting to euthanasia.
2020
Shift to No Euthanasia of Healthy Pets
The region’s largest shelter adopts a policy of no euthanasia for healthy and treatable cats and dogs—a powerful signal of progress driven by collaborative, preventative care and an incredible improvement over the high euthanasia rate seen in 2009.
2021
96% Decrease in Euthanasia Rates
Our area's largest animal shelter reports 1,183 euthanasias, a dramatic 96% decrease from the 30,000 euthanized in 2009, reflecting the effectiveness of community-wide spay/neuter access and coordinated animal welfare efforts.
2021
Community Cat Action Fund Established
Heaven Can Wait launches the Community Cat Action Fund to remove financial barriers for trappers and caretakers needing to provide critical spay, neuter, vaccination, and medical care to free-roaming cats in crisis.
2023
The Romeo Fund Launches
To support pet families on SNAP/Medicaid, Heaven Can Wait creates The Romeo Fund, making essential services like spay/neuter, microchipping, and vaccinations more accessible for families facing economic hardship.
2024
Microchipping Ordinance
The City of Las Vegas and Clark County pass ordinances requiring pets be microchipped. Heaven Can Wait successfully partners with both jurisdictions to expand access to microchipping services, helping more lost pets reunite with their families.
2024
TNR Approved in Henderson, NV
For the first time, Henderson allows a pilot Trap-Neuter-Return program. Heaven Can Wait joins with nonprofit partners and community trappers to help reduce street cat populations and shelter intake.
2025
25 Years of Spay & Neuter
Heaven Can Wait celebrates 25 years of service and the spay/neuter of its 200,000th patient—preventing an estimated 2 million animals from being born into uncertain circumstances, and sparing about 600,000 from entering overcrowded shelters where they could face euthanasia.
Financials
Programs
Community Cat Action Fund
Las Vegas's community cats are at risk. They're at risk of injury, illness, and trauma. Of being unwanted. Of being considered nothing more than "pests."
That's not the case at Heaven Can Wait, where we serve over 10,000 community cats every year. When you support the Community Cat Action Fund, every dollar is put towards lifesaving services for these animals - spays, neuters, vaccines, medications, and surgeries for those suffering from trauma.
The Romeo Fund
The Romeo Fund helps loving families in need provide their beloved pets foundational, lifesaving veterinary care that may be out of reach otherwise. The Romeo Fund has already helped spay, neuter, vaccinate, and microchip more than 1,300 pets, helping families in need prevent costly unwanted litters, preventing unnecessary euthanasia in our shelters, and fighting the pet overpopulation crisis.
Every pet deserves foundational care, regardless of their family's financial situation.
Volunteering + Events
Volunteer at our Spay & Neuter Clinic
If you're interested in joining our clinic team, we need volunteers to help us clean surgical instruments, move and clean cat traps and kennels, fold newspapers, do laundry, and generally help keep our clinic sanitary and moving smoothly during business hours.
Tues & Thurs: 9:30am to 3:30pm