San Diego, April 6, 2018 – The Spay-Neuter Action Project of San Diego, recognized as the first organization in San Diego County to provide programs to reduce the tragic outcomes of pet overpopulation, will host a “large dog only” specialty spay/neuter clinic on Saturday, April 7, on the grounds of Castle Park Middle School in Chula Vista. Doors open at 8:00 am.
SNAP, as more commonly known, is a registered non-profit organization that has been serving San Diego County for 22 years, beginning with publication of the very first referral guide of affordable spay/neuter providers around the Greater San Diego region, to tackle pet overpopulation at its source. It was adopted immediately by other animal groups, rescues, and the County of San Diego Animal Services. While it made a difference in the number of shelter intakes from some zip codes, lower-income communities continued to struggle with chronic pet overpopulation. SNAP became an actual affordable spay/neuter provider in 2003, to help these affected areas, by bringing services directly to their locations via mobile clinics. An average of 500 surgeries are performed each month, by a California State licensed team of veterinary professionals, in the hospital-grade operating suite located inside the “Neuter Scooter” surgical bus. Over 60,000 combined cats and dogs have been altered to date.
Large dog only clinics are held no less than three times per year for several reasons, (1) to spay and neuter up to 30 large dogs in one setting as opposed to only four per standard clinic, (2) to provide more income-challenged large dog owners the opportunity to receive a spay or neuter for $100 or less, and (3) to help more Pit Bulls and Huskies, who rank as the most euthanized of all large dog breeds in our City and County-run shelters. “Our large dog specialty clinics fill up quickly because of the discounted fee, the convenience of a Saturday, and all of the extra services provided at no additional charge, such as a nail trim and if needed, flea and deworming treatments,” said Dorell Sackett, Executive Director of SNAP. While all large dogs are welcomed at these specialty clinics, special emphasis is placed on Pit Bulls and Huskies to reduce their numbers that suffer in the shelter system.
All surgeries take place inside the bus with recovery “mash-style” inside the gymnasium. Patients will be transferred on gurneys or carried inside the Castle Park Middle School gymnasium, for recovery inside oversized crates monitored by RVTs and volunteers, including students of the Castle Park Middle School Animal Care Club. SNAP would like to publicly thank the students for their help in coordinating this event, and the Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation for sponsoring the clinic, with second year funding.
For more information about SNAP, please visit www.snap-sandiego.org or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by using the hashtag #SNAPsandiego.