Jessica Lopez | Expanding Access to High-Volume Spay and Neuter
Jessica Lopez | Expanding Access to High-Volume Spay and Neuter
Prefer an audio version? Listen here:
In this episode of Top Dog Podcast, we sit down with Jessica Lopez, Executive Director of The PAW Mission, to talk about her journey from veterinary medicine to building an organization focused on reducing shelter euthanasia in San Bernardino County.
Jessica started The PAW Mission in 2017 after recognizing a major gap in access to high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter services in San Bernardino County. What began with a working cat program grew into an organization offering adoptions, shelter intervention, a five-acre sanctuary, mobile services, and a high-volume spay and neuter hospital.
A major part of Jessica’s approach is making veterinary care more accessible. She explains how the cost of veterinary services can create barriers for families and why The PAW Mission charges a fraction of typical spay and neuter costs to help more animals receive the care they need.
The organization’s growth has been substantial. After starting with working cats, The PAW Mission absorbed a five-acre sanctuary in 2019 and later received funding from UC Davis to launch its high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter clinic. Jessica shares that the hospital completed nearly 7,300 spay and neuter surgeries in the previous year.
But for Jessica, the work isn’t just about treating animals. One of the biggest shifts in her thinking came from recognizing the people connected to every animal and the circumstances that can affect their ability to access veterinary care.
“I think it’s really easy for veterinary medicine to get so caught up in how much we care about the animals that we forget that there’s people attached to the animals as well.”
Jessica also talks about how The PAW Mission’s programs evolved from its original working cat program, including placing more than 450 feral cats into working cat homes during its first year.
“We started placing feral cats into working cat homes, and that was our first kind of program that we ran.”
As the organization expanded, Jessica kept looking for ways to address the underlying causes of animals entering shelters rather than focusing on just one part of the problem.
“I could not get those demographics, that information out of my head.”
That data-driven mindset continues to influence how Jessica approaches animal welfare, from identifying gaps in veterinary services to developing programs that can meet those needs.
“Our goal at the end of the day is to make sure animals receive the care that they need.”
And as The PAW Mission continues to grow, Jessica remains focused on expanding access to services and developing practical solutions for the animals and families who need them.
If you’re passionate about helping animals, join the Doobert community where volunteers, fosters, transporters, and organizations work together to save lives every day. Visit Doobert.com to get involved.
And don’t forget to subscribe to the Top Dog Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
Do you know any Top Dogs we should interview? We’re always looking for amazing people in animal welfare to feature on the podcast. Send us an email at tdp@doobert.com.
