SNIPSA'S History

SNIPSA is an organization formed by a group of veterinarians and caring individuals dedicated to helping homeless and unwanted animals in San Antonio and the surrounding area. SNIPSA does not have a standing shelter and depends on a core of volunteers to foster and rehabilitate animals in their homes. This provides us with the opportunity to learn first hand about the animal’s needs and behavior in order to facilitate an appropriate adoption. SNIPSA was incorporated in 2005 and has re-homed more than 3000 animals.

SNIPSA’s Mission:

SNIPSA’s mission is fourfold: to RESCUE, REHABILITATE, and RE-HOME adoptable animals from high kill shelters and the community, and to encourage Responsibility within the pet owning population by providing free spay/neuter services to areas of San Antonio with the greatest need.

Rescue/Rehabilitate/Re-Home:

The majority of the animals we help originate from high kill shelters. San Antonio euthanizes more than 25,000 animals a year, most of which are adoptable and are destroyed due to lack of shelter space and available homes. Another 50,000 carcasses are picked up on city streets equating to a ton of animals being deposited in our landfills every day. SNIPSA makes weekly trips to area shelters to remove animals whose “time is up.” Many of these animals suffer from heartworm infection, fractures, mange, dental disease, and simple neglect. SNIPSA provides the necessary medical care to get the rescues back on their feet again. This can often be a lengthy process of rehabilitation. We are committed to going the extra mile to ensure an animal’s health. SNIPSA also works with the citizens in the community that have found a stray dog or cat. We help walk the individual through the process of locating an original owner. If an owner cannot be found, we provide the Good Samaritan with resources for spay/neuter and basic vet care. Foster care is available on a space available basis as we focus most of our attention on animals due to be euthanized in city shelters.

Responsibility:

Spay/neuter has proven to be the cornerstone for saving lives. To increase sterilization capacity in San Antonio, SNIPSA hosts MASH style spay/neuter clinics targeting neighborhoods with the highest number of stray and unwanted animals. Clinics are held in churches and community centers where there is an established relationship between the neighborhood and anchor organization. To recruit appointments, volunteers go door-to -door distributing bilingual flyers and interface with residents about the importance of being a responsible pet owner. Volunteers talk to folks in their everyday life as they water their lawns, play with their children, and just hang out on their porches. We are able to see first hand where the animal problems exist and offer immediate solution for those households. By making sterilization FREE and accessible on a weekend, compliance is largely increased. There is not a lottery system or co-pay. We remove as many barriers as possible to ensure an owner is willing to follow through with getting his pet sterilized. With more than 200 dogs/cats being altered per clinic, we see a measurable result in reducing the pet overpopulation problem in the area being served. We are grateful to our volunteers and veterinarians whose tireless efforts make this possible.