During the Pacific Partnership 2024-2 (PP24-2) mission stop in Legazpi, Philippines, from August 5-9, a veterinary team conducted five spay and neuter clinics in the Albay region. This initiative, which involved collaboration between local and international partners, provided vital pet health services to the community while offering valuable training opportunities for local veterinary students.

U.S. Army Capt. Jeffrey Helfrich, chief veterinary planner for PP24-2 in the Philippines, emphasized the collaborative nature of the effort. “We’ve got a week-long spay and neuter going right now,” Helfrich said. “This is in conjunction with the city veterinary office of Legazpi City, in partnership with the Republic of Korea, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and local Albay region vets.”

The clinics focused on animal population control to reduce the spread of diseases, offering spay and neuter services along with rabies vaccinations. This operation also served as a simulation to test response procedures in the event of a natural disaster or a humanitarian mission.

“In the event of some natural disaster, we would hope to organize the veterinary community together to provide care to the pets as well as for any stray animals running around,” Helfrich added, highlighting the importance of preparedness.

Local veterinarian and volunteer Dr. Grace L. Mae Collada noted the dual benefits of the clinics: they provided a significant training opportunity for her and her colleagues while also addressing a critical need in the community. “Most pet owners here don’t actually have the finances to provide spay or neuter services for their pets,” Collada explained. “This leads to an increase in stray dogs and cats, which in turn raises the number of rabid animals.”

Rabies remains a significant public health concern in the Philippines, which ranked sixth globally for rabies cases in 2023. The Department of Health recorded 89 cases in the first quarter of 2024, underscoring the importance of efforts like these clinics.

Local resident Maria Anna B. Daet, who brought her pets to be spayed and neutered, expressed her gratitude for the free services provided. “It’s a big help to us, especially for the pet owners because we will not be paying for the castration or spaying of our animals,” Daet said. “Thank you so much to the U.S. Navy for sponsoring this event.”

While the primary focus of the collaboration between U.S., Republic of Korea, and host nation veterinarians was on integration rather than solely treating stray animals, the impact was significant. Capt. Daniel Keeler, PP24-2 mission commander, highlighted the success of the clinics during the closing ceremony. “We held five veterinary events where 281 cats and dogs were seen for surgery and vaccinations in partnership with the Legazpi City Veterinary Office, partner nations, and veterinary students,” Keeler said.

The PP24-2 mission in the Philippines is part of the larger Pacific Partnership series, which is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Now in its 20th iteration, Pacific Partnership collaborates with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability, disaster response capabilities, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific region.

Pacific Partnership 2024-2 will continue with mission stops in Vietnam and the Federated States of Micronesia.

For more information about Pacific Partnership, visit www.clwp.navy.mil/Pacific-Partnership.