SNIP program partnerships aim to offer more access to pet spay and neuter

Reducing the island's stray animal population and making sure your pets stay healthy -- that's a big goal for the Spay and Neuter Island Pets Program up at Guam Animals In Need. 

Territorial Veterinarian Mariana Turner said the recent partnership with off-island vets has helped hundreds of families get their pets spayed and neutered. 

"It’s actually been doing really well," she said. "The Taiwanese visit really helped us fine-tune our training and all of our support staff and volunteers just really honed in their skills with that and so we took off running. We are now at 999 surgeries thus far, since we opened the clinic in February."

There are many reasons to have your furry friends spayed or neutered-- and preventing unwanted litters of cats or dogs is one of them. 

It can also help protect against serious health problems that deal with mating and it can also reduce behavioral problems that come with the mating instinct.  Turner said  the SNIP clinic may also see an expansion in its services soon. 

"We got a solid team and I think we’re going to actually be able to increase our volume a little bit," she said. "Now we’re going to be limited a little bit by our space, that we can only house so many animals in there and Dr. Smith and I are just getting through those surgeries in a good amount of time and so I think things are going very well."  

With trained staff, trained volunteers and new people wanting to join the SNIP program, more and more residents can avail the services it provides. 

"We’re working on trying to get some of the military veterinarians are going to come in one Friday a month, just to help us out as well and their keeping their surgery skills fresh as well," Turner said. 

The SNIP program is currently working out the details for that partnership. 

If you're interested in having your pets spayed or neutered, fill out an interest form at snipclinicguam.com. The fee to have your pets spayed or neutered will be $50.