Gwen Boucher was the founder of the Sociedad Benéfica para Animales (SBPA) in 1995. The SBPA provided free vaccination and spay-and-neuter services for the community, and the Santuario San Carlos, cat & dog sanctuary which re-homed hundreds of abandoned animals over the last three decades throughout Sonora and the southwestern USA. Gwen’s vision was to reduce the number of homeless dogs and cats in San Carlos through spay and neuter services, education, and compassionate care. In the early years, Gwen was able to sterilize about 300 animals annually. Gwen passed away in July 2026 but her story is the story of the SBPA.

This legacy of caring and incredible commitment began here in San Carlos one day when Gwen brought her pets to Manuel and Germaine Ferreira in Villa Hermosa for grooming. She lamented to Manuel the appalling state of stray animals in San Carlos and Guaymas. He told her that it was perhaps her destiny to do something about this. Gwen’s veterinarian in Tucson, Dr. Ed Kiesel, agreed to come down to San Carlos several times a year to trap street dogs and cats and conduct spay-and-neuter surgeries from the back of his SUV. When her house was finished on the Caracol, they even conducted surgeries in her kitchen, laying out patients in her living/dining area for recovery.

As time passed, Gwen’s work evolved into SBPA, Inc., which focused exclusively on prevention through free spay and neuter services, leaving fostering and adoption to other community members. With the help of Caroline Durand, a new board of directors was formed, creating and maintaining SBPA’s status as a U.S. non-profit while fostering the partnership with its sister organization in Mexico, SBPA San Carlos. The mission of both organizations is to protect animals and alleviate the suffering and disease caused by uncontrolled population growth through free spay and neuter clinics, and educational outreach to promote responsible pet ownership. Over the last 30 years, SBPA has grown from its humble beginnings that Gwen started, to an organization that performs over 5,000 free spay-and-neuter surgeries annually, significantly reducing suffering and promoting a healthier future for animals and people.

SBPA initially operated under two branches:
– SBPA Services provided free certificates for spaying, neutering, and vaccinations. Local residents could take these certificates to participating veterinarians, who were reimbursed at a standard rate. When funds allowed, Gwen brought veterinarians—often Dr. Ed Kiesel from Tucson—to San Carlos several times a year to perform surgeries. In those days, surgeries took place wherever space was available, from tailgates of cars in La Manga to Gwen’s kitchen on the Caracol.
– The Sanctuary, a no-kill shelter near Gwen’s home, provided safe refuge for up to 340 cats and 10 dogs. Gwen and her husband personally funded much of its operation, including the purchase of vital equipment such as the operating tables still in use today.

Today, SBPA holds monthly clinics and sterilizes over 5,000 animals each year, funded entirely by donations and community fundraisers. Recently, the organization moved into a new eco-friendly facility shared with CRIFFS in Sector Ranchitos, ensuring that SBPA can continue its vital mission of reducing pet overpopulation, preventing suffering, and building a healthier future for animals in San Carlos.