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Council approves outreach to LVMA, discusses vet pricing and grant application requirements
Summary
Council authorized staff outreach to the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association, discussed adding a letter template for rescues to negotiate lower spay/neuter prices, and set grant application dates of Sept. 15–Oct. 20.
The Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council authorized outreach to the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association and debated ways to ensure grant dollars buy more spay/neuter procedures in rural parishes. At the Sept. 9 meeting, the council voted to let staff contact LVMA members and to draft a template letter rescues could use when asking local veterinarians to accept lower spay/neuter rates. Ashley Prejean, representing the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the state veterinarian’s office, made the motion to authorize contact; Jonathan Henriques, Rescue Alliance representative, seconded the motion and it carried. Why it matters: several council members said small rural rescues are limited by local veterinary pricing and that clearer guidance or outreach could stretch limited grant funds. Discussion centered on whether the council should list specific clinics or instead provide a suggested maximum payment per surgery and a template rescues can use when approaching veterinarians. Stacy Alamo, who identified an affiliation on the record, said small groups often report paying $225 for a spay and suggested offering rescues guidance so a $1,500 grant could serve more animals. Henriques offered to “prepare a letter template … that will be made readily available” for rescues to use when negotiating reduced prices with local veterinarians. Council members agreed on two administrative points: the grant application cycle will open Sept. 15 and close at midnight on Oct. 20, and applicants must complete the council’s grant tracking form when they receive funds. Chair Jeff Dawson asked members to publicize the opening dates to local humane societies and rescues. The council also reaffirmed the existing practice that council members who submit grant applications recuse themselves from discussion and voting on awards; the council will continue to accept applications from member-affiliated groups but those members must leave room during deliberation.
