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City leaders held a ribbon cutting ceremony and tour for the West Side’s new Animal Care Services (ACS) spay and neuter clinic on Tuesday.
The clinic is one of two new spay and neuter facilities funded in the 2024 budget — an East Side clinic will open next month — that officials say will contribute between 7,000 and 8,000 pet sterilizations per year.
ACS Director Jonathan Gary said opening the clinics has been a major focus for his department.
“Since I walked in the door here on Dec. 30, all we talked about is these spay and neuter clinics, and the day that we get to open them for our community,” he said.
The two new clinics are part of an effort to increase annual ACS pet sterilizations to 40,000 and rein in the loose and stray pet problem across the city.
“These teams are now ready to perform thousands more spay and neuter surgeries each year, and that's going to be a game changer for our community,” Gary said. “Spay and neuter doesn't just prevent unwanted litters. It helps pets live longer and healthier lives.”
Gary was joined by City Manager Erik Walsh, District 1 Councilmember Sukh Kaur, District 7 Councilmember Marina Alderete Gavito, and District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo — whose district the new clinic sits in.
“They have all been champions of this clinic, and I can't stress how special that is,” Walsh said of the council members present at the ribbon cutting. “I mean, the last time we had three council members, it was a groundbreaking for the new terminal at the airport. So that's how significant today's investment is.”
The clinic will be staffed by contract veterinarians who will work on a rotating basis. The city decided to contract veterinarians rather than hire full-time staff after the challenge to hire staff began slowing the clinics’ rollouts.
Kaur said a recent dog attack in her own district proved that the issue of loose dogs must remain a focus of the city council.
“We have to double down on this, and today's ceremony is an indication to our community that we are,” she said.
Castillo said getting the clinics funded and launched required working across districts, even though the clinic can only be in one.
“That cross collaboration, in terms of ensuring that the West Side and the City of San Antonio's needs are met in terms of providing access to spay and neuter services is pivotal,” she said. “As mentioned by Jon [Gary] and Erik [Walsh], this has been a collaboration, and I'm grateful for my colleagues who understand how these needs not only impact one city council district, but the city as a whole.”
The new clinic is located in a shopping center off of General McMullen Dr. and Castroville Rd.
Alderete Gavito said the clinic would contribute to the city’s efforts to address the root cause of dog attacks.
“I've said before, I'm going to say it again, this is not a dog problem,” she said. “This is a people problem, and this facility will help us do our part to make sure our dogs are spayed and neutered.”
Sukh Kaur is a former member of Texas Public Radio's board of directors.
