KANAB — Best Friends Animal Society launched its new mobile spay/neuter clinic to help pets and their owners with low-cost veterinary services in the Navajo Nation recently.
A Navajo Nation flag flies, date and location not specified | Photo by Oleksii Liskonih/Getty Images, St. George News
Celebrating with staff, volunteers and supporters, Best Friends CEO Julie Castle was among the speakers.
“Navajo Nation is so vast, with 16 million acres, yet it only has four veterinarians,” she said. “Best Friends has done work on the Navajo Nation since I’ve been here in the mid-1990s. The difference is that today we have a partnership.”
That partnership includes working with former Navajo Nation first lady Phefelia Nez, who is on the Best Friends Animal Society Board of Directors. Nez, a lifelong animal lover, was excited to be part of the team that brought the project to fruition.
“You don’t see many of these units out there. This is such a huge help for our communities and their pets,” Nez said in a news release. “Thank you on behalf of Navajo Nation.”
Castle introduced Navajo Nation graphic designer Aurelia Yazzie, who created the look of the mobile unit, which will provide 1,250 additional spay/neuter surgeries annually in the area.
L-R: Best Friends Animal Society Senior Advisor for Community Relations Arlyn Bradshaw and CEO Julie Castle join Gov. Spencer Cox as he declares 2024 No-Kill Shelter Year in Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 27, 2024 | Photo courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society, St. George News
“It’s important to have input from the community,” Castle said. “This clinic will save so many lives and propel us forward to building a better world through kindness to animals.”
Before touring guests aboard the clinic, a ribbon was cut by Michelle Weaver, director of Sanctuary Outreach and Paul Kiel, maintenance manager, of Best Friends, as well as donors and volunteers Marty and Brenda Winnick and Nez.
The clinic was dedicated to the late Dr. Bill Christy, a local veterinarian who provided care to sanctuary animals for many years since Best Friends’ inception in 1984, whose family was in attendance. As founder and Chairman of the Board Francis Battista noted, “There would be no Best Friends without Dr. Christy.”
Best Friends work on the Navajo Nation is part of its overall goal to make America a no-kill country in 2025. Best Friends partners with dozens of rescues and animal welfare organizations to help the four Navajo Nation shelters with pets in need of homes.
Currently, about 2,000 dogs and cats are transported to lifesaving partners every year, including Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, and a foster program focused on saving more is in the works in Phoenix.
Click here to learn more about Best Friends.