A new nonprofit is taking over the city's spaying and neutering program for the first time in more than two decades, which could mean big changes, said the Hawaiian Humane Society, the current service provider.

Animal Care Foundation says it will start running the city's Neuter Now program in February out of its Hawaii Kai office and in a mobile clinic around the island. The Humane Society will stop running the program tomorrow, meaning the Neuter Now program will not be available next month.

Residents can still purchase discount certificates for pet sterilization through the Hawaiian Humane Society or satellite city halls until tomorrow. Those certificates will be honored until March 31.

Both nonprofits say the Neuter Now program plays an important role in reducing the number of unwanted pets on Oahu.

The Hawaiian Humane Society ran the program for 22 years. Kawehi Yim, Humane Society spokeswoman, said its program allowed pet owners to choose from among 18 veterinarians who provide service for a discount. “;It's a big change,”; she said. “;It's now down to just one service provider that's administering both the contract as well as the sterilization process.”;

While Animal Care's veterinarians will be the sole pet doctors in the program, they will neuter and spay more animals per year and at a lower price than the Humane Society did, said Animal Care Vice President Frank De Giacomo.

He said Animal Care also will increase the number of sterilizations to between 8,000 and 10,000 a year, more than double the number of surgeries performed through the program in 2008. Under the Humane Society's program, certificates were sold for $40 for male cats, $50 for female cats and male dogs, and $75 for female dogs. (Pet owners pay the service provider for certificates, which they take to a veterinarian.)

“;It'll be $56.81 for all dogs, male or female, $35.50 for all cats, male or female,”; De Giacomo said. “;Microchips are included for free.”;

To reach outside of the Hawaii Kai area, Animal Care will offer service in a $500,000 mobile pet clinic. The clinic, which is being shipped from the mainland, will also reach homeless animal owners in remote areas of the island, offering them a discounted rate of $20.

Dana Takahara-Dias, director of the city's Department of Customer Services, said Animal Care won the $300,000 contract with the lowest bid.

“;Animal Care was able to provide the service at a lower cost to the city,”; she said.

In the past two years, the program had to be stopped early because its popularity surpassed the funding allotted, Takahara-Dias said. The city has increased funding for the program by about $100,000 in the last two years.