Tuesday is World Spay Day, and a group of local clinics have received a $1 million grant allowing them to expand their services.
Community Animal Medicine Project clinics in South Los Angeles, Mission Hills and San Pedro are the beneficiaries of a grant from the Michelson Found Animals Foundation, a nonprofit focused on operating programs to help pets and pet owners, MFA announced in a press release.
“This grant will significantly increase access to affordable pet care and spay/neuter services in historically excluded communities within Los Angeles while simultaneously bolstering the number of veterinarians trained in High-Quality, High-Volume Spay/Neuter (HQHVSN) surgeries,” the foundation said in a news release.
Dr. Gary K. Michelson, a billionaire philanthropist and founder and co-chair of Michelson Philanthropies, said the grant will help tackle “the crucial issues of veterinary access and pet overpopulation in Los Angeles.”
“By increasing the number of skilled veterinarians and providing affordable spay and neuter services, we’re not just helping pets, we’re strengthening the human-animal bond and building a more compassionate community for all,” he said. “This collaboration is a testament to the power of partnership in making a lasting difference in the lives of animals and their families.”
“We’re building a future where every animal has a chance to thrive, and we’re doing it by working with great partners like CAMP,” added Brett Yates, the CEO of MFA.
Supporters of spaying, including CAMP Executive Director Zoey Knittel, note that spaying and neutering pets gets at the core problems that contribute to overpopulation in animal shelters and feral animals.
“Each spayed or neutered cat and dog … ultimately improves the overall health and happiness of pets, their families, and our community as a whole,” Knittel said.
CAMP Clinics has spayed and neutered more than 300,000 dogs and cats since 2007, and “these numbers will grow exponentially as veterinarians are trained in HQHVSN, helping alleviate the strain on the 78% of California shelters that are unable to consistently provide low-cost spay/neuter services and reduce the overpopulation crisis at Los Angeles city and county shelters,” according to MFA.