With thousands of pets abandoned each year, access to spay/neuter services helps control the community pet population by reducing strays, freeing up shelter space, and saving pets from potential abandonment and euthanasia. However, sterilization procedures are often out of reach to many pet owners due to cost.

To further our commitment to providing affordable and accessible spay/neuter services, BPF has hired veterinarian Dr. Alana Canupp, DVM. Since her start date in April 2022, she has already performed 1,350 spay/neuter surgeries.

Prior to the addition of Dr. Canupp, finding available vets for BPF’s Free Spay/Neuter Clinics was a challenge due to staffing shortages and other pandemic-related obstacles. Her expertise has allowed us to make our goal of hosting more clinics a reality. When Dr. Canupp visits a community, she works in the shelter to spay/neuter pets, performs surgeries during community clinics and also prepares health certificates if BPF is transporting pets out of the shelter. We are excited to continue to direct help to where it’s most needed.

Dr. Canupp started her career as a high school teacher and college professor before going back to school at the age of 35 to become a veterinarian. She attended the University of Florida and graduated with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Public Health in 2013.

After working at a high-volume, high-quality spay and neuter clinic (HQHVSN), she became the chief veterinarian at City of El Paso Animal Services. From 2016 to 2021, she helped lead the city by significantly decreasing the euthanasia rate in the shelter from nearly 60% to 15%. She provided daily veterinary care for a shelter population ranging from 400 to 1,200 animals. Dr. Canupp worked tirelessly to decrease the number of sick animals in the shelter, as well as helping to transport dogs across the country to find new homes.

Dr. Canupp’s greatest passion is in the field of shelter medicine, especially feline care, and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs. As a lifelong educator, Dr. Canupp continues to teach veterinarians and veterinary students. From developing spay/neuter skills to improving surgical skills in the shelter setting, she is committed to improving the lives of animals and the veterinary teams caring for them.

With Dr. Canupp’s expertise, BPF will grow its impact on both community and shelter pets throughout the country.