January 25, 2023 714 PM
PRESIDIO COUNTY — The Far West Texas Rescue Coalition, a group of area rescue organizations, recently hosted spay and neuter clinics both in Presidio and Marfa that served hundreds of pets. Vaccination and microchip services were also provided.
The coalition began with a vaccination and microchip clinic in Presidio on Friday, then provided spaying and neutering on Saturday and Sunday. The event served around 175 animals — both cats and dogs — in Presidio at the PAC building.
The coalition then held a clinic in Marfa on Monday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church that provided services to about 124 cats. That event was sponsored by the Hotel Paisano.
“It’s quite a big accomplishment to hit both of those communities — they both have a lot of need,” said Jeanine Bishop, executive director of the Alpine Humane Society, which is part of the coalition.
The procedures were performed by two veterinarians with the organization Animal Balance, plus five registered vet techs and seven volunteers from around the Big Bend region.
The coalition began hosting the clinics monthly last year, said Bishop, and has already planned a handful of future clinics. A clinic will take place in Alpine in mid-February, Fort Stockton in mid-March, Terlingua in mid-April, and will likely return to Marfa in May.
