Initially focused on rescuing and rehabilitating stray dogs, or satos, and placing them in homes in the U.S. mainland through adoption, The Sato Project has shifted its efforts to doing mass spay, neuter, and vaccination programs to prevent the birth of unwanted litters. Recently, the nonprofit has spayed or neutered and vaccinated 340 dogs in Guayama in just three days through its Operation Sato program, a pop-up clinic that offered the veterinary services to owned dogs and strays completely free of cost to owners and rescuers.
“There are an estimated 650,000 stray dogs on the island of Puerto Rico, which is roughly the size of the state of Connecticut,” Chrissy Beckles, founder and president of The Sato Project Beckles explains. “At a certain point we had to take a step back and ask ourselves: Is what we’re doing economically and materially sustainable? Is it even working? Is there a way to reduce the suffering of over half a million animals, instead of just putting a couple hundred dogs a year onto planes, at staggering effort and cost?” Beckles says, adding two unsterilized dogs can be responsible for the birth of 67,000 puppies in just six years. “Adoptions are down for the first time in our history. The numbers don’t add up and the cycle only continues. This is manmade emergency, and we need to come out swinging with a one-two punch approach: adoptions alongside Operation Sato and TNR [trap, neuter/vaccinate, release].”
Further to sterilization, dogs at Operation Sato receive diagnostic tests for bloodborne illnesses; vaccinations against diseases, such as rabies and parvovirus, microchipping; and flea/tick/heartworm preventatives. In the first half of 2024 alone, The Sato Project reports treating more than 2,000 dogs.
Learn more about the organization at The Sato Project website.