Media Contact:
Jack Heath
[email protected]
603-714-2607
www.spcai.org
For Immediate Release:
SPCA International Announces Success in Largest Sterilization Campaign ever held by Spay Panama – 4 Day Effort Sterilizes 1,137 Pets and Stray Animals in Greater Panama City
New York City, October 4th, 2011 - SPCA International (www.spcai.org) and Spay Panama (www.spaypanama.org) announce their 4-day effort to spay and neuter 1000 animals- in conjunction with World Animal Day- was a huge success. Thanks to countless hours donated by over 50 volunteers and veterinarians and funded by the SPCA International’s grant award of $22,000, the massive effort to spay and neuter more than 1000 pets succeeded. Spay Panama developed a mobile sterilization team and MASH-type operation that moved its operation to four different parts of Panama City in order to reach multiple pet owners who have no means of travel.
The 4-day campaign was aimed at stopping the unnecessary deaths of homeless animals in Panama. Spay Panama was founded in 2001, and thanks to the support of SPCA International, the group attempted and succeeded to reach up to 1,000 animals in a condensed time period. Once set up in a local community center, Spay Panama’s team was able to prep, operate and bring each animal to a post-op mat where the pets were cleaned, de-wormed and given vitamin or rabies shots- all in under 30 minutes each.
SPCA International’s team working in Panama during this spay/neuter campaign expressed amazement and admiration from witnessing the efficiency and determination of Spay Panama’s team. They worked long hours into the night and then moved the operation team to the next day’s location. Local people brought their pets in cardboard boxes, wheelbarrows, milk crates or the backs of trucks and all were serviced, no matter how late the hour was.
The plight of female dogs in Panama is a life of trying to survive bearing litter after litter. Often malnourished, these female animals lose most of their puppies and kittens due to the dangers of the streets such as little or no food, and passing cars and trucks. According to animal experts with Spay Panama, male dogs that are not neutered often run wild in the streets trying to mate and too often get hit by cars. Un-altered male and female cats also become regular victims of violence due to their loud and bothersome “cat calls” during heat that can last for days at a time.
All of these issues stem from a lack of sterilization and the cycle is only perpetuated because the overpopulation of animals causes citizens to harbor ill-will against the helpless dogs and cats. This leads to more animal abuse, more senseless death, and little interest in the one true and lasting solution – to spay and neuter.
To learn more on this Spay Panama campaign, go to www.spcai.org.