About this episode

Dr. Sara White discusses her journey in veterinary medicine and the impact of her mobile spay/neuter clinic on underserved communities.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Stacy LeBaron

Guest: Dr. Sara White

Topics covered

• spay/neuter
• community veterinary care
• animal welfare
• mobile clinics
• veterinary shortages
• high-volume care

Keywords

• spay ASAP
• mobile clinic
• feral cats
• veterinary care
• animal shelters
• community access
• high-volume spay/neuter

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, ASPCA, Spay ASAP, Shelter Outreach Services

Places: Vermont, New Hampshire, Catholic shrine

More episodes of United We Spay

• How West Virginia Built a Spay/Neuter Program That Works with Steve Tennant · July 2, 2026 · 23 min
• Beyond the Boundaries: The Inspiring Story of Dr. Jeff, the Rocky Mountain Vet with Melinda Grohol · May 7, 2026 · 25 min

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