San Francisco bus coming to Fresno to give animals ‘the snip’

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – A bus coming from San Francisco is making its way to Fresno to help address the influx of stray animals by giving them “the snip.”

The San Francisco SPCA and SNIP Bus has partnered with Fresno Humane Animal Services to provide critical spay and neuter services to help with overcrowding conditions and the backlog of existing needs at the animal shelter.

“Right now, shelters across the state are dealing with acute overcrowding conditions and spay and neuter services are necessary to help address those challenges.

The SNIP Bus is an impactful resource providing affordable, accessible spay/neuter services,” said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the Chief Executive Officer of the SF SPCA.

According to officials, many Californians do not have access to pet care due to severe statewide shortages of veterinary professionals. This issue is especially prominent in the Central Valley and, most significantly, in Fresno, which has the highest animal intake rate per capita in California.

“Mobile spay/neuter solutions, like SNIP Bus, are the only way to control animal overpopulation,” said Melanie Scherer, the Founder and Executive Director of SNIP Bus. “We can go directly to the highest intake areas to provide accessible and affordable surgeries.”

According to SPCA officials, this shortage combined with other factors like inflation and housing restrictions has only exacerbated the influx of animals in shelters over the years.

“We face a real challenge here in Fresno with animal overpopulation, but with the help of our partners, we are working tirelessly to address the issue,” said Brenda Mitchell, Leader of Fresno Humane Animal Services.

The SNIP Bus will be at the Fresno Humane Animal Services center from Oct. 11 to Oct. 13 and will address the center’s existing backlog needs. Officials add that in the future when the shelter’s backlog is addressed, the SNIP Bus services will be offered to the public.

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