A spaying and neutering event was held on Saturday, December 14th and Sunday, December 15th, 2024 in the coastal city of Nueva Gorgona, Panama. Spy Panama and local community veterinarians and volunteers sterilized 360 cats in two days, significantly impacting the area’s feral cat and wildlife populations.
A united effort to curb regional overpopulation
Since 2001, Spy Panama has led the nation’s animal welfare efforts, completing more than 350,000 spays and neuters on dogs and cats. The organization focuses on reducing overpopulation in underserved areas by providing affordable and accessible sterilization services.
The roots of their presence in the region date back to 2020. Panama Andy Dog Rescue and Sanctuary and Janine Nadeau mailbox etc.. We have launched an initiative to deal with the overwhelming number of stray cats and dogs in the area. They organized caravans to transport animals to remote areas where sterilization services were available. Their work was also recognized by Spay Panama, which began visiting the region in 2021 to hold regular spay/neuter clinics. These visits are an essential part of managing local animal populations.
Pop-up clinic settings
Spy Panama’s mobile clinic (a specially equipped bus) transported the veterinary team and equipment directly to Nueva Gorgona. Volunteers and veterans changed society casa communitytransforming a public space at the heart of a community into a fully functioning clinic. Pet parents now arrive early with their cats in crates, boxes, or even pillowcases. Some local residents volunteered their vehicles to help transport the animals to the clinic. The dedication of everyone involved reflected how the community valued this opportunity.
Veterinarians worked tirelessly and performed surgeries with incredible concentration, while volunteers managed the paperwork, prepared animals for surgery, transported them from section to section, and monitored them during recovery. did. The hot and humid conditions had everyone drenched in sweat, but no one slowed down. To get those high numbers, you need to run things like a factory assembly line.
“The buses allow us to reach areas like Nueva Gorgona, where resources are scarce,” said one team member. “We can sterilize hundreds of animals over the course of a weekend, improving the lives of both the animals and the community.”
Why is spaying/neutering important?
Spaying and neutering is very important to prevent overpopulation. Without intervention, uncontrolled breeding will result in stray animals suffering from hunger, disease and neglect. Spayed cats avoid risky pregnancies, lead healthier lives, and display less territorial behavior such as wandering and fighting.
The effects of leaving just one unneutered cat on the loose can be devastating. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), One female cat can give birth to up to 98 kittens in her lifetime. This assumes two litters per year, with an average of three kittens per litter. This number can increase exponentially when considering reproductive offspring. By sterilizing 360 cats during this event, the Spy Panama and Nueva Gorgona communities took a meaningful step toward controlling the overpopulation cycle.
The weekend ended with an incredible sense of accomplishment as we sterilized 360 cats. Volunteers, veterinarians, and pet parents all came together for the same purpose: to make a lasting difference for animals and communities. Yes, it was tiring, but it was worth every effort.
Spy Panama, with the support of local rescue organizations and local residents, will continue this important work, conducting healing campaigns in the region three times a year and helping Nueva Gorgona tackle overpopulation issues. I plan to. To support their mission or learn about upcoming events, visit: Panama Andy animal protection activities and Spy Panama official website.
All spaying/neutering is important. Every cat is important.
