Putnam Advocats director Lisa Yergo told the Putnam County Health, Social, Educational and Environmental Committee on Feb. 12, 2025, that she has discussed bringing a mobile spay‑neuter van into the county to serve residents who cannot afford conventional veterinary fees.

Yergo said the county’s existing spay‑neuter funding is limited and local veterinarians have only modest capacity, forcing the nonprofit to send animals out of county. “We have 2 vets that currently, Carmel Animal Hospital and we have, Oldland Place Animal Hospital. But, yeah, it's it's difficult,” Yergo said.

The request matters because Yergo described sustained demand for trap‑neuter‑return (TNR) services across Putnam County towns and limits on who the county will reimburse. “Last year in 2024 … we did 168 cats,” she said, and added that in 2025 the group had performed 76 procedures so far, with many animals transported to Poughkeepsie for surgery. Since the program began, Yergo said Putnam Advocats has spayed or neutered 2,321 cats and placed 629 in adoption.

Yergo said she has discussed a mobile van with a local veterinarian, Dr. Orban of Putnam Animal Wellness, who could operate a biannual clinic if there is sufficient demand. Yergo provided an estimated price of about $75 per cat for services on the van and said the mobile provider she referenced historically required a 40‑cat minimum per event, which would equal roughly $3,000 to break even. She suggested an initial two events a year — about $6,000 total — while also noting uncertainty about exact break‑even figures until terms are finalized.

Committee members pressed on operational details and existing county policies. A committee member noted the county currently reimburses only two named veterinarians under the county TNR budget line, which Yergo said creates a barrier when other vets or mobile providers cannot accept delayed county payment. “The county will only reimburse the 2 vets that we currently work with,” Yergo said. She added that other veterinarians “don't have capacity there” and that waiting months for reimbursement is often not feasible for small clinics.

Committee members and Yergo discussed public‑health implications, including past local rabies exposures. Yergo recalled an incident in which someone who handled a sick cat required rabies post‑exposure treatment, and highlighted that vaccinated animals and fewer intact cats reduce such risks. Committee members also asked about colony management; Yergo said many colonies are managed by local caregivers and that lack of cooperation from some property owners can undermine TNR efforts.

Yergo said Putnam Advocats operates on a modest budget — under $20,000 a year for the organization, with roughly $15,000 intake last year — and that the county “holds” a separate allocation for TNR invoices, passing payments through when invoices are submitted. She said some towns (she named Patterson and Putnam Valley) hold small reserved amounts and that the county’s reimbursement setup could be reexamined to allow additional providers to be paid directly.

The committee asked Yergo to submit a written proposal with more detailed cost estimates and operational plans; Yergo said she would provide that. No formal vote or appropriation for a mobile clinic was recorded during the discussion.

Yergo closed by giving contact information for Putnam Advocats and saying the organization would work with the county on a proposal and potential trial of a mobile clinic.