Kudos to our pals at the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA, whose mobile spay/neuter van marks its 1000th free surgery this month.
In late 2005, PHS/SPCA supporter (now Board member) Vanessa Getty funded the purchase of a 26-foot long vehicle, specially designed to house a surgery suite and post-surgery recovery kennels. Later, Getty and a small group of friends formed the San Francisco Bay Humane Friends and committed to funding three years of operational expenses for the program. All expenses — gas, insurance, staff time, surgery supplies, printing for promotional flyers, etc. — are paid for by the San Francisco Bay Humane Friends.
Now, at least once per week, PHS/SPCA staff — led by one of the shelter’s veterinarians — bring the custom vehicle to a targeted community in San Mateo County or San Francisco and offer low-income and fixed-income residents free spay/neuter surgeries for their pets. In many cases, these are folks who otherwise would not be able to afford the surgery. More “fixed” animals means fewer accidental litters and fewer unwanted animals at the shelter. And, fixed animals are much less likely to act aggressively and contract forms of cancer.
"It's wonderful when we have a donor or small group of donors in this case who ask how they can make a difference, then they make it happen," said shelter spokesperson Scott Delucchi.
In the mid 1970s, PHS/SPCA took in as many as 45,000 dogs and cat per year. The last few years, the number has been around or below 10,000 — a significant decrease largely due to spay/neuter advocacy and education efforts. The mobile spay/neuter program is further driving down the number of unwanted pets in San Mateo and San Francisco Counties by reaching people who previously could not or would not fix their pets.
The clinic format is simple. The shelter schedules a series of clinics in one community, then promotes the clinics in the targeted community a few weeks before the first one. Pet owners do not make appointments; they simply drop-off dogs or cats between 8-9 a.m. — first-come, first-served — and return in the late afternoon for pick-up. "No strings attached, expect for the little ones our vet uses during surgery," said Delucchi.
For safety and practical reasons, PHS/SPCA does not accept dogs over 80 pounds or over 8 years old; puppies and kittens must be at least 16 weeks of age and all animals must be vaccinated. Owners, for most clinics, are limited to one pet per family. Pets must fast from midnight on the evening before surgery. Clinic staff give pet owners recovery instructions at the time of pick-up.
PHS/SPCA has been visiting East Redwood City and San Francisco regularly for the past year. Upcoming Pacifica clinics are set for September 8 and October 13 and will be held in a parking lot adjacent to the Little Brown House at 1850 Francisco Blvd. PHS/SPCA has chosen Serramonte Shopping Center for the Daly City clinics, and will visit on September 12 and 26, and October 10 and 24. The mobile unit will be parked near the shopping center’s electronic message board in the main parking lot.