SNAP was founded in 1998 when a group of community members realized the need for spay/neuter assistance in Doña Ana County. They raised some funding and started issuing vouchers to assist low-income pet owners, making spay/neuter services affordable for them. Just a few to begin with, but over the years, the community has grown and the number of vouchers issued has increased. In the 25+ years that SNAP has served the community, we have issued over 30,000 vouchers, facilitated over 26,000 spays and neuters, and allocated over $2M to do so.
As a non-profit, we strive to serve our community as much as possible. For the year of 2023, we issued a total of 2,129 vouchers (249 more than projected). We had a total 34% increase in completed spays/neuters from the previous year. We are always striving to reach more of the community, with our current 2024 projection to be over 2500 vouchers issued in total.
Currently, SNAP has contracts with the County of Doña Ana and the City of Las Cruces to cover the majority of costs for spay/neuter surgeries for the dogs and cats of low income families in incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county. Donations and grants pay the remainder of the spay/neuter costs (typically between $100-$160 for cats and $150-$275 for dogs). SNAP also allocates resources for the additional costs if the dog or cat is in heat or pregnant.
As a community funded non-profit organization, we rely entirely on Donations, Grants, and Contracts from the communities that we serve. Thanks to the generous donations of our community members, as well as our current contract with Doña Ana County, we have been able to continue aiding our community as much as possible. However, with the ever increasing need for spay/neuter, we are always seeking further donations.
This year SNAP's Board of Directors has been gathering the history of SNAP. Based on an interview with Alice Davenport, this is how she and Joy Miller started SNAP.
In 1998, Alice Davenport and Joy Miller established the Pet Overpopulation Defense organization, and their “office” was located in Alice’s business, Moonbow Alterations. They facilitated the spay/neuter of local pets with local vets. In 1998, paperwork was filed to establish a nonprofit, 501(c)(3).
Over the years, the SNAP office was located at two Better Life Pet Food locations, first on Main Street and then on Avenida de Mesilla until we found our current location at 2405 W. Picacho. The name changed to Spay and Neuter Awareness Program and then to Spay Neuter Action Program. Despite the name changes, the countless volunteers and board members, and numerous organizations and individuals that helped SNAP over the years, the mission has never changed. Today, SNAP is serving more members of the community and is needed just as urgently as it was needed 28 years ago to reduce pet overpopulation in Doña Ana County.
Spay Neuter Action Program
2405 Picacho Suite 103
Las Cruces, NM 88007
Open
Tuesday - Friday
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Snap is a nonprofit 501(c)(3)