Sierra Oakley Joins Her Mom Dr. Michelle Oakley in Lifesaving Spay and Neuter Mission in Baja, Mexico

Baja California Sur | April 2025 – Renowned wildlife veterinarian Dr. Michelle Oakley and her daughter Sierra Oakley, a veterinary student at Murdoch University, recently took part in an intensive spay and neuter campaign in southern Baja, Mexico. In a YouTube video posted by Dr. Oakley, the duo shared their day working alongside SNAP Los Barriles and Cortez Rescue—two volunteer-based organizations dedicated to reducing stray animal populations and improving community health.

Set up in a local school in Capimento, the makeshift clinic saw over 60 spay and neuter surgeries completed in just one day. Dr. Oakley, known for her work on Nat Geo Wild’s Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet, praised the skill of the volunteer veterinarians, highlighting their efficient and hygienic techniques despite operating in remote, low-resource conditions.

Sierra Oakley, who is currently completing her surgical placement, gained hands-on experience while helping rescue dogs—many of which were brought in from garbage dumps, malnourished and injured. Several of the dogs were noted to be extremely thin, suffering from wounds and parasites. “These dogs were rounded up at the local garbage dump. They were just there feral,” Dr. Oakley explained. “They’re very thin. We’re sure they have parasites… Some of them have a bunch of wounds from fighting. So all that will get taken care of today.”

The effort was part of a broader mission by SNAP and Cortez Rescue to curb pet overpopulation. According to Dr. Oakley, just two unspayed cats can lead to thousands of offspring in a few years, making these campaigns critical in areas with limited access to veterinary care.

Another team member explained the difficult conditions in the area and how some locals have stepped in to help abandoned dogs.

“Sadly, you know, people throw away the dogs as if they’re trash. And so the people that are living at the dump end up caring for these animals,” she said.

“In some cases, if the rescue has availability, they will take them into the rescue. But if not, we at least get them sterilized so not to continue overpopulating the area. And then they go back to, you know, the folks that are living in the area of the dump—which are very obviously very poor—poverty. So we try to provide them with some food to continue caring for the animals as well.”

With every surgery, the team also administered basic treatments like deworming and provided aftercare instructions, all without the use of standard recovery tools like e-collars due to practical limitations.

One particularly sensitive case involved a dog that had given birth just two months prior. The team debated whether it was safe to proceed with the spay. Sierra Oakley weighed in carefully, noting the animal’s frail condition: “I would say yes because it’s just—her body condition isn’t great, and that obviously increases her risk,” she said. Sierra added that the dog might not survive another pregnancy, emphasizing the importance of informing the owner about both the risks of surgery and the dangers of future litters. Her thoughtful approach reflected both medical judgment and compassion in the field.

By day’s end, Sierra and her mother had helped dozens of animals while building a powerful example of generational collaboration in veterinary medicine. As Sierra continues her studies, she does so with real-world experience—one operation, one life saved, at a time.