San Antonio City Councilmembers Dr. Sukh Kaur of District 1, Teri Castillo of District 5, and Marina Alderete Gavito of District 7, joined forces with San Antonio Animal Care Services (SAACS) to inaugurate the new Animal Care Services Spay-Neuter Clinic-West. Nested in the Las Palmas Shopping Center on Castroville Road, the clinic aims to provide spay and neuter services to the Westside residents.
Speaking about the new facility, Councilmember Teri Castillo remarked, "This new Spay-Neuter Clinic-West will be a vital resource for the Westside and our District 5 residents. We are grateful for its prime accessible location at the Las Palmas Shopping Center. We know that expanding our access for spay and neuter services is a proactive measure that will reduce the amount of pets roaming throughout San Antonio, leading to safer streets, neighborhoods, and public safety," as reported by the City of San Antonio.
Expanding on the significance of the new clinic, Councilmember Marina Alderete Gavito noted the impact it would have on the local community and animal population. Gavito told the city's official website, "Bringing this much-needed resource to residents of Districts 7, 5, and 1 has been a top priority for me, and today marks a major milestone for our community." The clinic's focus is to battle San Antonio’s challenges with stray dogs and pet overpopulation by offering essential pet services.
The addition of this City-run clinic, along with another on the Eastside, is part of a strategic initiative by San Antonio’s city leadership. During the 2024 budget amendment process, two clinics received funding, and the following year, $2.7 million and 21 positions were added to operate them. The Spay-Neuter Clinic–West and its counterpart on the Eastside are expected to provide between 7,000 and 8,000 free and low-cost spay and neuter surgeries as they gear up for the warmer months, when the birth of puppies and kittens increases, according to a statement from SAACS released by the City of San Antonio.
Animal Care Services Director Jon Gary highlighted the city leaders' investment in addressing animal welfare concerns. He expressed his gratitude saying, "We’re incredibly grateful to our city leaders for their investment in San Antonio's animal welfare," as noted by the City of San Antonio. These clinics are a significant part of SAACS’s goal to complete over 41,000 surgeries for the year, as spaying and neutering not only curb pet overpopulation but also potentially increase the lifespan and health of the pets, details of which are available on the SAACS website.
