Taking the Clinic to the Community with Dr. Sara White

In 1998, Sara White graduated from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and went to work in a New Hampshire animal shelter. What she saw there — feral cats at a local Catholic shrine, accidental litters flooding shelters, communities with no access to affordable spay/neuter — convinced her that something had to change. With mentorship from Dr. Leslie Appel of Shelter Outreach Services and a grant from the ASPCA, she launched Spay ASAP in 2006: a nonprofit MASH-style mobile clinic that loads surgical equipment into a car and brings the OR to wherever the community needs it. Since then, she's spayed or neutered over 73,000 animals across Vermont and New Hampshire, operating out of church basements, apartment community rooms, and animal shelter grooming spaces alike. The efficiency of the MASH model isn't accidental — it's structural. By focusing exclusively on spay/neuter, keeping overhead minimal, and delegating scheduling and volunteer coordination to host organizations, Dr. White charges prices that general practices simply can't match. She also addresses the broader veterinary landscape: consolidation, COVID-era retirements, and a growing shortage of vets willing to serve underserved communities — and makes the case that high-volume, community-access care and high-touch general practice aren't in competition; both are essential. Dr. White and Stacy also dig into the science around spay/neuter timing — pushing back on the trend of delaying procedures in large-breed dogs and making a clear case for prepubertal spay/neuter in cats, including surgeries on kittens as young as six weeks. It's a stance that aligns fully with United Spay Alliance's Feline Fix by Five program. And for anyone thinking about launching a spay/neuter program of their own, Dr. White's closing message is simple: don't wait for perfect. Start doing the good. In this episode you will hear: How the MASH clinic model works — and what makes it so cost-effective compared to brick-and-mortar spay/neuter clinics What state practice acts mean for mobile clinic operations, and why it's the first thing to research before launching How Dr. White structures pricing to serve low-income communities without relying on fundraising The shifting veterinary landscape: consolidation, vet shortages, and the case for community-access care Why the research on delaying spay/neuter in dogs is less settled than widely assumed — and what that means for families Dr. White's approach to pediatric spay/neuter in kittens, including the case for operating at six weeks Why Feline Fix by Five matters — and how it aligns with the science on early feline spay/neuter A powerful takeaway for aspiring clinic founders: start doing the good before you've built the perfect Resources from this episode: ergovet.com — Dr. Sara White's website covering ergonomics, her MASH clinic model, and links to her research Spay ASAP Inc. — Dr. White's nonprofit MASH-style mobile spay/neuter clinic serving Vermont and New Hampshire Feline Fix by Five — United Spay Alliance's campaign advocating for spay/neuter before five months of age United Spay Alliance — learn more and find resources at unitedspayalliance.org Contact United Spay Alliance: [email protected]