Volunteers process kittens during Santa Ana’s spay and neuter mobile clinic on Sunday, June 30, 2024. Sponsored by the nonprofit, Friends of Normie, and OC Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento’s office, 35 cats were spayed or neutered, microchipped and vacinated free of charge by Dr. Andy Miyagishima with the Amazing Small Animal Practice. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A mobile pet clinic in Santa Ana provided spay/neuter procedures, as well as other services, for an expected 35 cats on Sunday.
The clinic was put together by Second District Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento’s office in partnership with organizations Vanguard Charitable, Project Baccarat and Friends of Normie. The clinic services were provided by the Gardena-based Amazing Small Animal Practice.
“This is limited to cats that are owned, but we hopefully want to get to that point where we’re also making these clinics available to feral cats because we know that they multiply, sometimes exponentially,” Sarmiento said. “These things can spin out of control really quickly if we don’t try to address the multiplication of the cat population.”
Roya Khaleeli, an intern with the Amazing Small Animal Practice in Gardena, helps out during the free spay and neuter mobile clinic in Santa Ana on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Carlos Valenzuela, with OC Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento’s office, offers a gentle touch to a kitten recovering from surgury during the free spay and neuter mobile clinic in Santa Ana on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Carla DuPuis’ 2-year-old cat, Jade, is dropped off at the free spay and neuter mobile clinic in Santa Ana on
Sunday, June 30, 2024. “The cost of getting this done through a vet is astronomical,” DuPuis, from Tustin, said. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Yazmin Lucho, with the cat rescue, Tips and Whiskers, volunteers during Santa Ana’s one-day free spay and neuter mobile clinic on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Idania Santana with the Amazing Small Animal Practice in Gardena, helps out during the free spay and neuter mobile event in Santa Ana on Sunday, June 30, 2024. She takes a break to hold the clinic’s mascot dog, Miyu. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Karina Esperanza of Anaheim checks in on her kitten, Leo, after getting him neutered at the free Santa Ana spay and neuter clinic on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A kitten , one of 35, awaits neutering during the free Santa Ana spay and neuter clinic on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Volunteers process kittens during Santa Ana’s spay and neuter mobile clinic on Sunday, June 30, 2024. Sponsored by the nonprofit, Friends of Normie, and OC Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento’s office, 35 cats were spayed or neutered, microchipped and vacinated free of charge by Dr. Andy Miyagishima with the Amazing Small Animal Practice. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Roya Khaleeli, an intern with the Amazing Small Animal Practice in Gardena, helps out during the free spay and neuter mobile clinic in Santa Ana on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The limited slots for this first clinic were filled in less than an hour, said Romina Yamashiro of Santa Ana, an animal advocate and one of the clinic’s organizers. It was open to residents of the county’s Second District.
“We don’t have any resources, if any, in Orange County for free spay or neuter, or true low-cost (options),” Yamashiro said. “It’s not just to help the cats, but also the community. I see so many great people who love their animals, they love the cats, and they love to feed them and care for them, but unfortunately, can’t afford to get them fixed.”
Services for Sunday’s event were free of charge, but small donations were encouraged.
For people who weren’t able to get a spot at the weekend’s clinic, Yamashiro said to check back at helpingoccats.org, where future clinics will be posted and which offers a list of low-cost spay and neuter services in the surrounding area.
