20 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 23-29, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com MC GIVES “And remember: Spay and neuter makes you cuter!” This cheery voicemail sign-off is for Melanie Scherer, founder of the Spay Neuter Imperative Project (SNIP) Bus—a mobile clinic traveling to low-income neighborhoods and performing affordable surgeries for pets. It’s one of the slogans used when discussing pet overpopulation, leading to thousands of healthy puppies and kittens being euthanized each year only because there are too many, according to Scherer, a former executive sales recruiter. Scherer adopted the cause after realizing she could provide a practical solution. Scherer established the first SNIP Bus in the Coachella Valley in June 2016. Today, two vehicles serve pet parents from Kern County to Fresno. By 2018, Scherer was splitting her time between Southern California and Carmel. She soon learned of a similar challenge in Monterey County. “We needed a high-volume solution,” Scherer says. Now the one local SNIP Bus is “fully booked for November and pouring into December.” An average of 250 Monterey County pets per month receive care. Over five years, the nonprofit has spayed and neutered more than 30,000 cats and dogs in the county. The idea is to bring spay and neuter services to people where they are, making it convenient—the seemingly optional task can fall off of people’s priority lists, Scherer says, specifically citing South County and North County, further from veterinary hubs on the Monterey Peninsula. “These are very high-intake areas for animals and there is zero accessibility for vet care.” The team aboard the SNIP Bus is specialized in high-volume spay and neuter services, using a narrow clinical area with three anesthesia machines and three surgery tables. “There’s a very specific set-up to make this very effective,” said Scherer. “The team has to be on top of their game.” Trained teams and specialty vehicles don’t come cheap. Medical supplies like anesthesia and vaccinations alone top $10,000 a month. But Scherer’s conviction in her nonprofit’s role in controlling animal populations keeps her tirelessly advocating. “I know spay and neuter is the solution,” she says. “I wouldn’t be working COURTESY SNIP BUS Pet Parts SNIP Bus applies a practical solution—a mobile spay-and-neuter clinic—to solve pet overpopulation. By Caitlin Fillmore SNIP Bus’ RVT and vet techs at work inside the nonprofit’s mobile clinic, serving rural areas of Monterey County. At a Nov. 17 clinic in Greenfield, they spayed 27 large dogs. How to Donate Go to www.mcgives.com and click the Donate button. Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley, Inc. We provide more than just a meal… Nourishing & Nurturing Seniors Since 1972 Donate: montereycountygives.com/mows The Youth4Change Program is the Big Idea for 2023 MCGives! Fundraising Campaign CCA’s youth program, Youth4Change, focuses on bridging the educational gap by providing activities in college and career preparedness, academic success, leadership building, and civic participation. CCA builds and develops the skills of these youth by preparing them to attain, achieve and succeed in high school, college/university, professionally and socially. In short, the goal of CCA’s Youth4Change program is to develop dynamic and influential youth leaders. CCA is hoping its supporters will donate to the campaign when MCGives! becomes active on its website on Nov. 9, 2023 and runs through Dec. 31. Starting Nov. 9, go to montereycountygives.com/cca to make your donation, which will be matched in part when the campaign ends. cca-viva.org The Center for Community Advocacy
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