Chile expands free pet sterilization program to Vicuña and Tomé

The Subsecretaría de Desarrollo Regional y Administrativo (Subdere) has funded two large-scale free sterilization campaigns under the Programa de Tenencia Responsable de Animales de Compañía (PTRAC). In Vicuña, Coquimbo Region, the initiative will provide 1,000 sterilizations—600 dogs and 400 cats—with microchip implantation, financed with an investment of $28.6 million. The operations will be carried out across multiple localities, including Rivadavia, Chapilca, La Campana, and other neighborhoods, as part of a regional plan that aims for 16,000 sterilizations in nine communes.

In Tomé, Biobío Region, a separate campaign sterilized 1,500 animals for a cost of $42.9 million. Since 2016, Subdere has contributed $254 million to the PTRAC in Tomé, resulting in a total of 9,231 dogs and cats receiving free sterilization and microchips. The programme also supported a pandemic‑type emergency project (PVET) that provided care for 300 pets affected by the January 2026 wildfires, funded with $9.1 million.