Spay Neuter Project of Los Angeles

History And Vision

To ensure that spay neuter services are affordable and accessible to all pet owners in the Los Angeles area and to create an environment in which animal shelters no longer rely on euthanizing animals as a way of controlling pet population.

The Spay Neuter Project of Los Angeles was founded in 2007 under its previous corporate name, Clinico Inc. Thanks to generous funding support from PetSmart Charities and the Found Animals Foundation SNP LA began providing low cost surgeries from a temporary location at the Southeast Area Animal Control Shelter.

In May 2008, our first permanent clinic location opened in Pico Rivera. This success was soon followed by the launch of our San Pedro location in May 2009 and our Van Nuys location in July 2010. As of the end of September 2011, SNP LA had performed over 40,000 low cost and free surgeries for Los Angeles area pets. SNP LA is on track for over 24,000 surgeries in 2011 alone!

Unfortunately, our services cannot come soon enough. In 2010, Los Angeles animal shelters took in over 200,000 dogs and cats. Of that number, just over 100,000 were euthanized. SNP LA’s mission is to substantially reduce animal shelter intake by providing high-quality, low-cost spay and neuter services to underserved communities in the Los Angeles area. By providing these services in targeted areas and promoting the message of "saving lives through sterilization," we can reach the goal of reducing shelter intake and eliminating euthanasia of healthy animals.

Prior to our launch we collected and analyzed data from numerous sources to understand the problem and provide a practical solution. Our research showed that the largest percentage of shelter impounds occur in areas where there is a high concentration of low-income residents. These areas, typically, have very limited access to affordable spay and neuter services, and the services that are present are inconsistent and limited in scope

Each of our clinics are located in communities that fit the criteria of having a high percentage of low-income residents, few spay/neuter resources, and high numbers of animals impounded by local shelters. We will address the problems typically shown to be impediments to successful spay/neuter programs by offering services on the weekend, extended hours of operation, reduced-fee spay/neuter surgery, and transportation of animals when needed.

Over the past twenty years, high-volume sterilization has become the accepted response to pet overpopulation. This is where SNP sees a tremendous opportunity to serve. By providing high-volume stationary veterinary clinics in underserved neighborhoods, staffed by veterinary professionals with expertise and sensitivity, we can effectively battle the root causes of pet overpopulation.