Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP)

Homeless dogs and cats wander every neighborhood -- destined for suffering in the "wild" or euthanasia in a shelter. Please help us reduce overpopulation of unwanted animals humanely through sterilization and education.

How do you help people in my community?

Since 1993 through September 2007, SNAP has sterilized and provided wellness services to 405,486 cats and dogs in Houston/Harris County and San Antonio/Bexar County, Texas; in Los Angeles; on Native American lands in the Four Corner area of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado; in New Mexico; in Monterrey, Juarez, and Mexico City, Mexico, and additional special trips to other states and other countries. The chances are that if you have either a mobile spay-neuter clinic or a reduced-cost sterilization program for animals in your community that SNAP has provided inspiration and/or direct help at some level.In addition to sterilization and wellness services for dogs and cats, SNAP provides a speaker’s bureau and humane education

programs to groups across the nation in an effort to promote a sense of responsibility for companion animals. 

SNAP worked with the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine on a five-year study aimed at developing a

contraceptive vaccine to ultimately make sterilization of dogs and cats safer, easier, and cheaper for all. 

We have opened our doors to third- and fourth-year veterinary students from across the nation for a veterinary surgical

externship program. For example, in November 2005, a group from Louisiana State University spent the day with us learning about high-volume spay-neuter operations.

We also provide apprenticeship opportunities to fledgling groups across the nation free of charge, offering advice on management, fundraising, community outreach, and the establishment of medical protocols in an effort to enable these groups to build successful programs.

SNAP has provided consulting services for mobile and stationary spay-neuter clinic programs for municipalities, government agencies, and humane organizations across the United States and in Mexico, India, the Caymans, and the Galapagos Islands.

Veterinarians from these countries have traveled to Texas to see our programs in action because SNAP’s medical procedures and protocols are considered the highest standard in veterinary medicine. Moreover, its pioneering concept of the spay-neuter clinic on wheels has been replicated in other Texas cities, New York City, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, New Orleans, and the states of Connecticut, Washington, West Virginia, and Arizona.

SNAP also helped out in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita by offering a mobile unit for triage purposes to the SPCA, by becoming a center for collecting monetary and in-kind donations from the community, and by treating the cats and dogs of evacuees free of charge at both our surgery and wellness clinics.

Why do you need my support?

Every gift makes a difference. About half of our revenue from contributions comes from individual donors. Your donation will help us to purchase medical and clinic supplies for our mobile and stationery clinics, replace worn out medical equipment when necessary, hire veterinarians and technicians, and buy fuel for our mobile clinics, to name a few expenses. 

Our vision is a world without homeless cats and dogs. We already are making a difference not only by direct help in reducing unnecessary euthanasia but also by raising public consciousness about the alarming problem and its indirect and underestimated consequences for people within the communities we have served.

Though we may seem like an animal program only, we are different in that our work ultimately benefits both animals and humans.

How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely and won't waste it?

SNAP had overhead of 21.5% as per our FY2006 990 and are working toward reducing it further. We have an audit every year from a very well respected firm in Houston (Blazek & Vetterling). Our all-volunteer board meets bi-monthly to review financials and clinic operations. Our medical personnel salaries are commensurate with the marketplace because we want to attract high quality veterinarians and technicians, but administrative costs are kept low by operating with as few employees as possible.  And those salaries are determined from United Way data for typical nonprofit positions. In fact, we are somewhat under those guidelines. Our executive director doubles as director of operations, and our chief financial officer is a volunteer from our board. In 2006 SNAP used 968 volunteers donated 17,108 hours, the equivalent of eight full-time employees. After a successful year of contraction, reorganization, and management change, we created a four-year strategic plan that sets goals for growth.

Can I Volunteer? How?

Clinic volunteers assist the animal health technicians and veterinarians in the daily care of patients. Duties might include holding animals, cleaning cages, moving animals from the surgery suite to recovery area, and cleaning surgery packs. Community volunteers help distribute flyers in targeted neighborhoods, provide a speaker's bureau for the community, assist with admitting clients and animals in the morning, and completing required forms and certificates for animals in the clinics.

Volunteers who assist with fundraising efforts sell T-shirts and raffle tickets, staff information booths at fairs and festivals, and provide contacts throughout the community for financial support of SNAP.

SNAP’s board of directors is also composed entirely of volunteers. To volunteer call SNAP’s administrative office in Houston at 800-762-7762 or email us at info@snapus.org.