The «Misión Patitas» pet sterilization program, led by the First Lady's Office under Maricel Cohen de Mulino in collaboration with the Spay Panamá foundation, has surpassed 2,000 pets served this past weekend. The event was held in the district of Penonomé, Coclé province. Following sterilization efforts in the La Pintada area, the «Misión Patitas» program moved to the Ángel María Herrera school gym, where families were able to bring their dogs and cats for care. With these latest campaigns, the First Lady's Office program has exceeded 17,500 sterilizations since September 2024. «I am at a loss for words to express my joy at seeing how people have responded,» said Spay Panamá foundation director Patricia Chan. «It is important for people to understand that an environment of animal overpopulation only fosters an environment of mistreatment, abuse, and abandonment. The greatest satisfaction is to see the central government and the First Lady's Office understand the animal cause and be able to reach many more animals and their families,» Chan highlighted. This past weekend, the First Lady was in Penonomé, where she announced that the goal of «Misión Patitas» is to end the year reaching 20,000 pet sterilizations. «All of us, cooperating together with Misión Patitas, can achieve a more humane society in Panama,» she reiterated. The «Misión Patitas» program provides an alternative for low-income populations to access safe sterilization for their pets without needing to go to a private veterinary clinic, thus helping to prevent the proliferation of abandoned domestic animals. «The biggest challenge is to get local authorities to understand the importance of sterilizing animals.»
