Some shelters do neuter, you’ll still want a bunny-savvy vet.  Call and don’t be afraid to ask how many they have performed on rabbits and if there is an exotics vet on duty that can do it. I have a list of questions to ask a vet and I think BinkyBunny has that list available too.  As for the reliability/safety I cannot vouch as I have never used that venue but I know that there are some members here that work at shelters, maybe they’ll be able to help. 

Here is a list of questions to ask a vet & after-care:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html#vet

List of Q’s to ask a  vet:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/vet.html

This is a fairly new way of finding a vet as well through Goolgle:

http://www.vet.net/

Have you checked the HRS web site for vets in your area? http://www.hrschicago.org/articleslay1.html

You may also want to try the phone book and call for prices. I’m sorry I can’t help more. I’ll look around and see if I can find anything. If memory serves me correctly, there are some members here who live in the Chicago area and might be able to offer up more suggestions.

Scarlett-Rose shared excellent advice, I’d recommend checking out the local HRS to see if they have a good vet suggestion. It is very important to have the spay performed by a vet that knows a lot about bunnies and does many successful spays every year.

Thank you gravehearted, that was very sweet of you to say! 

Cookie – Bunnies have very sensitive digestive systems that *must* be kept moving or they can go downhill very quickly. Also getting your bun eating after surgery is often one of the top priorities and very important.

Any vet office that tells you to fast a bunny prior to surgery is not the right vet’s office. It’s a very clear sign that they a) don’t do a lot of spay / neuters and / or b) are not rabbit savvy.

ScarletRose – you’re most welcome, thanks for sharing the good wisdom

Hi! At my bunny savvy vet one time the receptionist asked if I had fasted my bunny – but the other one corrected her so I think sometimes you can run across a newbie or something, so don’t let that frighten you right away, if they say that ask them if they can confirm with the vet and then if they still say to fast them that is WRONG! I have heard that in addition to the fact that the buns need to keep their system moving, they are also incapable of vomiting, which is sometimes a fear with cats and dogs that if they eat before the surgery they could vomit and choke on it…of course that could just be a veterinary rumor…

I have read the no vomit thing in several places too, MooBunnay.  Bunnies lack the muscles required to push the stomach contents back up to the mouth.  They have a fast digestive tract, so their way of dealing with contaminants is to get them through and out the back as quickly as possible. 

Anesthesia slows down muscle action, including the ones that move food through the intestines.  This is why some bunnies go into stasis after an operation.  Our litte Deanna went into stasis after her spay, partly because I was slow with her pain meds 🙁  A rabbit savvy vet will encourage you to feed your bun right up to the surgery, and to get him or her to eat as soon as possible afterwards.  A pooping bunny is a happy bunny!