title: Results of a free spay/neuter program in a Hispanic colonia on the Texas-Mexico border.
abstract: The purpose of this study, conducted in a small, impoverished Hispanic community on the Texas-Mexico border, was to evaluate the level of participation in a bilingual spay/neuter program offered free of charge to residents with companion animals. Prior to the sterilization project, approximately 11% of dogs and about 27% of cats with guardians underwent surgical sterilization. Over an 8-month period, the spay/neuter program sterilized about 47% of dogs and 38% of cats who had guardians in the community. In spite of residents' early reluctance to neuter their dogs, the project sterilized nearly equal numbers of male and female dogs (200 male; 201 female).
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Texas, El Paso, TX 79902, USA. jeposs@utep.edu
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Poss
authors.forename: Julia O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Bader
mesh_terms: D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D002415:Cats / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D011155:Population Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D013781:Texas; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration