Bronx pet owners outside The Toby Project’s mobile surgical van (photo courtesy of The Toby Project)

The Toby Project, a nonprofit initiative that provides low-cost spay and neuter services for pet owners across the city by way of its mobile surgical van, performed its 5,000th surgery last month since its inception in 2009.

The group, founded by Manhattan veterinarian Dr. Andrew Kaplan, was featured in an issue of the Norwood News this summer. Its goal is to bring veterinary services to low-income neighborhoods, including many in the Bronx, where pet owners are often unable to afford the cost of spaying their animals.

“The overpopulation of pets is responsible for the deaths of as many as 15,000 healthy pets in NYC’s municipal shelters each year because of uncontrolled breeding and the lack of enough homes for all of them,” a press release from the group reads.

The Toby Project van will be in Claremont on Jan. 12, Fordham on the 19th and in Parkchester on the 26th. For times and locations, visit: www.tobyproject.org