The University's Genetic Improvement in the Production of Livestock Species Research Group (El Grupo de Investigación de Mejora Genética en Producción Global en Especies Ganaderas GLOBALGEN) held a sterilization campaign for pets in the district of Tarqui from the 16th to the 18th of November. 

As part of the university's community involvement projects, UPS professors and students sterilized more than 80 dogs and cats. 

Faced with the sanitary, social, environmental and economic problems which arise from the excessive population of stray dogs, as well as animal welfare, it is necessary to take urgent actions that allow the implementation of technical, efficient and ethical programs of management and control of stray dogs, as well as adequate education programs for people.

Therefore, UPS and the municipalities of several districts have planned massive sterilization campaigns to stabilize the canine overpopulation. However, due to the lack of time many pets could not be sterilized. The municipalities are planning new campaigns for 2017.

This activity allows students to gain experience in surgical practices and so they can easily start working once they have graduated. All the interventions were carried out by the students while professors Juan Masache and Mónica Brito guided them.