A parking lot may not seem like the place for veterinary care, but for many pet owners, it's become a lifeline.
The SNIP mobile spay and neuter clinic is making pet care more accessible, with families saying it's helped them get services they might not otherwise be able to afford.
“It wasn’t that expensive versus like having to go out to other places because I did call around and they were like $80 to $120 dollars for a little dog," said Trini Carmona.
Trini Carmona had been on the hunt for an affordable veterinary clinic for months. So when she spotted an ad for the SNIP mobile vet clinic, she didn’t think twice about booking an appointment for her mom’s dog, Bella Jean.
The cost? Just $30 for both the surgery and medication, a fraction of the price she’d been quoted elsewhere, saving her nearly four times the amount.
“It really really helps out a lot," said Carmona.
The SNIP mobile spay and neuter bus has been rolling through Kern County for years. Delivering low-cost, and at times free, pet care right into the neighborhoods that need it most.
Carmona isn’t alone in finding relief. Pet owner Maria Barraza says these affordable services have lifted a huge weight off her shoulders, easing the strain on an already tight budget.
“It was a real benefit because I'm on social security. I can’t afford this, I have to pay rent, buy food, get gas, I have to go to the doctors and stuff, medicine, so it was very, very, very, helpful for me," said Barraza.
Registered vet technician Kandace Webb has been operating out of a trailer for the past six years, dedicating her work to helping families and lowering animal overpopulation.
“Our shelters are full and overrun, we have managed intake going on so there’s tons of dogs on the street and we’re never going to get out of this without spay and neuter," said Webb.
On Wednesday alone, Webb and her team were able to spay and neuter a total of 97 dogs and cats, taking in over 30 walk ins.
Growing up in parts of East Bakersfield and Oildale, Webb says she’s grateful to be in a position that helps families from her hometown.
“Being able to go into those communities specifically cause we go into both communities and provide those services to the same demographics I grew up in, it really warms my heart," said Webb.
For those interested in the service, upcoming clinic dates and locations are posted online and updated as they become available. Click here for more information.
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