The Guam Department of Agriculture, in partnership with GAIN Spay & Neuter Island Pets, is well underway with its ninth community spay and neuter event, continuing efforts to reduce pet overpopulation and improve animal welfare across the island...and recently got some much needed assistance from GTA.

From now until Jan. 22, pet owners can get their animals spay or neutered at the Sinajana Mayor's Office. Stephanie Deforge with GAIN said, "We understand how difficult it is for members of our island to make the trek all the way up north so we make a quarterly effort to come down south as often as we can," she said.

And not only can you bring your pet, but you can help, as Deforge added, "Running a clinic of this size, is really difficult...we need volunteers. We are fortunate today to have members of GTA's corporate team. They are here helping with recovery, they are keeping an extra eye on animals , they're helping us out in surgery. It's a wonderful way to give back to the community."

Michele Catahay is GTA's director of community relations, and said, "We're really happy to give that to GAIN; we've been a really big supporter for many years, providing telecom services, and today we're providing volunteers, we're happy to be here today."

Deforge said that pet owners can avail of their SNAP-EBT program, saying, "If you are a recipient of SNAP or EBT benefits, at check-in you can show your SNAP/EBT card and the surgery cost is waived."

She says this was made possible by generous sponsors to help low-income families.  Deforge also wanted to take this time to share about another program they launched this year called 'Snip N Tip'. "That is where we are sterilizing community strays for free- if you have strays on your street,  that are friendly or that you feed regularly , you are welcome to bring them into the clinic and we sterilize them, we've heard back from a lot of members of the community that  there is constantly an influx of strays on their street that keep giving birth to more puppies and kittens,  well we have a solution for that," she said.

If they are friendly enough to handle, Deforge encourages you bring them in and the staff will sterilize the furry animal. "It is by donations, we will like to keep this program going for as long as possible, so if you are able to donate to keep the program going, please do," she said.

She hopes people take advantage of the program, saying, "And help this beautiful island grow and get into that new era where we aren't facing that overpopulation crisis."

The clinic ends on Jan. 22. If you wish to sign up your pets for surgery, head over to  www.snipclinicguam.com/appointments, and if you want to volunteer your time to help out at the event, sign up at www.snipclinicguam.com/volunteer.