Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs

What Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs does

ACC&D (Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that serves as the global convener and information catalyst for non-surgical fertility control in companion animals. The organization does not manufacture or sell products itself; instead it curates and disseminates scientific and educational content on five principal non-surgical contraceptive approaches — gene therapy (e.g., AAV-delivered AMH), immunological contraceptives (GnRH vaccines such as Egalitte), GnRH agonist implants (Suprelorin/deslorelin), sex steroids (progestins such as megestrol acetate), and gonad-focused chemical sterilants (zinc gluconate/Zeuterin and calcium chloride). It also covers companion technologies such as microneedle-patch tattoo identification developed with Georgia Tech.

ACC&D operates a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model: it convenes stakeholders (animal welfare nonprofits, veterinarians, scientists, pharmaceutical companies, foundations, policymakers) through six international symposia, think tanks, a Scientific Advisory Board (established 2007), and an International Advisory Board (established 2020). Its revenue model relies on individual donations, foundation and corporate grants, planned giving/estate gifts, and a structured Council of Stakeholders membership program (Visionary Circle at $30,000+/year and Sustaining Partners at $10,000+/year on three-year commitments). Long-tenured core funders include PetSmart Charities, ASPCA, Humane World for Animals, Alley Cat Allies, and Maddie's Fund, with ASPCA providing annual grants since 2006. The organization also played the catalyzing role in inspiring the $75 million Michelson Prize & Grants Program, which has deployed nearly $15 million to approximately 40 research projects since 2008.

Name

Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs

Legal name

Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs

Website

https://acc-d.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ACC&D is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 that convenes animal welfare, scientific, veterinary, and policy stakeholders to advance non-surgical fertility control for cats and dogs, funded by donations, foundation grants, and a Council of Stakeholders membership program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN)

Keywords

• Animal welfare advocacy
• Non-surgical sterilization
• Pet fertility control
• Veterinary education resources
• Companion animal research

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: ACC&D is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that relies primarily on donations from individuals, organizations, and foundations. Donations can be made via PayPal on the organization's website.
2. Council of Stakeholders Membership Program: Organizations commit to three-year funding periods at designated levels: Visionary Circle ($30,000+/year) or Sustaining Partners ($10,000+/year). The program provides core funding enabling ACC&D to focus on strategic and programmatic initiatives.
3. Planned Giving and Estate Planning: Legacy and estate planning gifts including bequests in wills, beneficiary designations on life insurance or retirement funds, and real estate or securities bequests. Sample language provided for donors.
4. Foundation and Corporate Grants: ACC&D receives annual grants and programmatic support from foundations and major animal welfare organizations. ASPCA has provided annual grants since 2006. The Michelson Prize & Grants Program (Found Animals Foundation) was inspired by ACC&D's convening role.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ACC&D is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as a global convener and catalyst advancing non-surgical fertility control for cats and dogs. It disseminates scientific and educational information about contraceptive approaches and products (including GnRH agonist implants, immunocontraceptive vaccines, intratesticular sterilants, progestins, aromatase inhibitors, and gene therapy), hosts international symposia and think tanks, publishes an e-book and position papers, supports research and field studies, and advocates for product availability for animal welfare organizations, veterinarians, foundations, and policymakers.

Product overview

ACC&D (Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs) is a nonprofit organization that serves as an informational resource and advocacy group for non-surgical fertility control in companion animals—it does not manufacture products but provides education, research coordination, and advocacy. Their portfolio consists of coverage of multiple non-surgical contraceptive approaches: GnRH agonists (Suprelorin® implant), immunological contraceptives (Egalitte® vaccine), intratesticular sterilants (Zeuterin™ and Calcium Chloride), progestin-based contraceptives (Megestrol Acetate), and aromatase inhibitors (Prevestrus vet). ACC&D also publishes the comprehensive 'Contraception and Fertility Control in Dogs and Cats' e-book as an educational resource. Their focus is on advancing non-surgical options as alternatives or supplements to surgical spay/neuter, with emphasis on accessibility for underserved communities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Suprelorin (deslorelin acetate) A GnRH agonist subcutaneous implant that releases deslorelin to suppress reproductive hormones and induce temporary infertility in male dogs, male cats, and prepubertal female dogs. Available in 4.7mg (6+ months) and 9.4mg (12+ months) doses. Approved in nearly 50 countries and marketed by Virbac. ACC&D provides informational coverage of this third-party product.
• Egalitte A temporary immunocontraceptive vaccine for male and female dogs administered via subcutaneous injection. Uses an immunological approach to trigger antibody creation against GnRH receptors, rendering animals temporarily infertile. Requires 2 initial injections 3-4 weeks apart, with yearly booster injections for ongoing efficacy. Currently approved only in Chile. ACC&D provides informational coverage.
• Megestrol Acetate (MA) and other progestins Short-term progestin-based contraceptive for female cats and dogs. MA-based products (Ovaban, Megace) are approved in some countries for fertility prevention. Available in oral and injectable forms, requires close veterinary oversight due to potential adverse effects. ACC&D provides informational coverage.
• Zeuterin A non-surgical sterilant for male dogs delivered via intratesticular injection. Composed of zinc gluconate neutralized with L-arginine, it provides permanent sterilization in one treatment without general anesthesia. Was the only non-surgical sterilant with FDA approval. Previously marketed in the U.S., Mexico, Bolivia, Panama, and Colombia. Currently unavailable. ACC&D provides informational coverage.
• Calcium Chloride An experimental intratesticular injectable sterilant for male dogs and cats using calcium chloride dihydrate compound. Research has been conducted primarily by the Parsemus Foundation. Not approved by any regulatory agency and created through compounding. ACC&D considers its use experimental.
• Contraception and Fertility Control in Dogs and Cats (E-Book) A 154-page comprehensive e-book authored by Dr. Linda Rhodes and Katherine Moldave covering progress in non-surgical fertility control between 2002-2013. Includes information on first commercialized products and expansion of research on future technologies. Downloadable free resource.

Quantifiable outcome

• Michelson Prize & Grants program has provided nearly $15 million to approximately 40 research projects across the globe since 2008
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable, key and supporting.

• Found Animals Foundation (Michelson Prize & Grants Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACC&D played the key catalyzing role in inspiring the Michelson Prize & Grants Program, launched in 2008 with a $25 million prize and $50 million in grant funding to develop a single-dose, non-surgical sterilant for cats and dogs. ACC&D's convening role at a 2000 conference led directly to the creation of this program, which has provided nearly $15 million to approximately 40 projects worldwide.
• Nature Communications (Publishers)notableOthersPublished the breakthrough June 2023 research article on AAV-delivered AMH gene therapy for female cats in Nature Communications, representing one of the biggest leaps in the field of non-surgical animal sterilization.
• Dr. Mark Prausnitz, Georgia Institute of Technology (Center for Drug Design, Development and Delivery)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2018 with Dr. Prausnitz's lab at Georgia Tech to adapt microneedle patch technology (originally developed for human flu vaccine delivery) to deliver tattoo ink for identifying non-surgically sterilized cats and dogs. The lab's microneen needles have been shown to successfully deliver vaccines to dogs with better tolerance than needle injection.
• Banfield Pet HospitalkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerACC&D partnered with Banfield Pet Hospital (Mars Veterinary Health), the leading provider of preventive veterinary care in the U.S. with over 1,000 clinics using the same record-keeping system, to conduct research on the health impacts of spay/neuter surgery in dogs using anonymized patient data. Two peer-reviewed publications resulted from this collaboration.
• Cornell University College of Veterinary MedicinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the '21st Century' ear tag project with faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students from Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Human Ecology Fiber Science & Apparel Design, and College of Engineering, funded by Cornell's Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.
• VirbacsupportingOthersPharmaceutical company that markets Suprelorin® (deslorelin acetate), the GnRH agonist implant for temporary fertility suppression in cats and dogs. Suprelorin is approved in nearly 50 countries and is a key non-surgical product in ACC&D's portfolio of covered approaches.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alley Cat Allies: U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting and improving the lives of cats. Comparable to ACC&D because it is a Council of Stakeholders Visionary Circle partner ($30K+/year) and shares the cat welfare and TNR advocacy mission.
• International Cat Care (iCatCare): International organization dedicated to improving the health and welfare of cats worldwide. Comparable to ACC&D as a Sustaining Partner stakeholder and a fellow cat-focused welfare and education convener with international reach.
• Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HumaneVMA): Veterinary-focused nonprofit advancing humane veterinary practice and animal welfare. Comparable to ACC&D through its focus on fertility control, shelter medicine, and veterinarian education, and through board representation in ACC&D's network.

Broad incumbents

• Maddie's Fund: Major family foundation dedicated to achieving no-kill shelter outcomes and funding TNR/spay programs. Comparable because it is a Visionary Circle funder of ACC&D and shares the population control and shelter medicine mission.
• ASPCA: Major U.S. animal welfare organization funding spay/neuter and shelter work nationwide. Comparable because it is a long-term Visionary Circle funder of ACC&D and shares interest in advancing non-surgical fertility control products and adoption.
• Humane World for Animals (formerly HSUS): One of the largest U.S. animal welfare organizations with broad scope including companion animal welfare. Comparable because it is a long-term ACC&D Visionary Circle funder and shares interest in humane population management and policy.
• PetSmart Charities: Largest funder of companion animal welfare in North America, supporting spay/neuter access and adoption. Comparable because it is a founding Council of Stakeholders member of ACC&D funding fertility control programs and shaping field priorities.
• Best Friends Animal Society: Operates the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary and leads no-kill advocacy including TNR programs. Comparable as a broader companion-animal welfare advocacy group whose mission on homeless pet population reduction overlaps ACC&D's mandate.

Regional players

• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Global nonprofit focused on animal welfare and conservation across geographies. Comparable as another international animal welfare advocacy organization with overlapping interest in humane population management, though broader in scope than ACC&D.
• Four Paws International: International animal welfare organization headquartered in Europe working across companion animals and wildlife. Comparable as an ACC&D Sustaining Partner with overlapping interest in humane dog and cat population management globally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs