QuickTake:

Willamette Animal Guild has served Springfield and Lane County for nearly two decades. In a letter, the organization said "insurmountable" challenges forced the closure.

Willamette Animal Guild has closed its low-cost spay-and-neuter clinic in Springfield after 18 years, citing leadership challenges, recent facility damage and other compounding setbacks.

The nonprofit group’s board announced the decision in a letter to the community Thursday, April 9. It said the organization, known as WAG, has recently faced “insurmountable” challenges, including major damage to its clinic building from a roof leak last year and the abrupt death of its former medical director, Dr. Marybeth Chaconas, to cancer in May 2025.

The board also said Misha English, the organization’s volunteer board president and de facto executive director for nearly a decade, is facing “significant health challenges” that require her to step down. The letter added that WAG has been unable to find a replacement after years of searching.

Without English’s “leadership, WAG cannot continue as an organization,” the board wrote in the letter.

According to WAG’s website, the organization has provided more than 84,000 spay and neuter surgeries since 2008.

WAG said it will soon reach out to clients who have scheduled surgeries to cancel appointments and issue refunds.

WAG officials did not respond to calls, emails or text messages seeking further information. In an automated email, the nonprofit organization advised that other low-cost spay and neuter services include the Main Street Spay Neuter Clinic in Springfield, Spay & Neuter Clinic in Eugene and RAD Pets in Corvallis.

“We take comfort in the fact that we were able to keep WAG thriving long enough to see the arrival of several new low-cost spay/neuter clinics in the region that will be able to service those community members in need,” the board added in its letter.