The Vance County Board of Commissioners approved spending $10,000 to satisfy a matching grant to spay and neuter dogs and cats waiting to be adopted at the animal shelter as well as pets of county residents.
The grant comes from Community Partnership For Pets, Inc. through the Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society. The county match will come from fund balance.
“My top priority … is to this community and to the citizens in this community,” said Animal Services Manager William Coker, adding that this grant program would provide spay/neuter services to residents regardless of income level.
An existing spay/neuter provides assistance for residents who qualify because they receive state or other government assistance. “A lot of people could use the help…but I can’t give it to them,” Coker explained, because they don’t qualify. This $20,000 infusion of funds to get pets spayed and neutered will help in the constant battle to control the unwanted pet population.
Coker said the Animal Services staff spend much of their time picking up stray dogs and feral cats. When he spoke to the board on Feb. 3, Coker said the shelter had five litters of pups and were expecting two additional litters to be surrendered before the week was over.
The funds can be used for spay and neuter services only, but in addition to dogs and cats being adopted from the shelter and for people’s pet, but includes feral cats and colonies, as well as free spay/neuter for pit bulls or pit bull mixes.
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