PAWS asks Davidson County for up to $100,000 to support low‑cost spay/neuter clinic

Lisa Grubb and Jason Yates, speaking for PAWS, urged the Davidson County commissioners on Nov. 6 to support a newly opened low‑cost spay‑and‑neuter clinic and to expand the county’s voucher support for sterilization services.

"We are asking our objective is to obtain funds for this exciting first and only Davidson County low cost spay and neuter clinic," Lisa Grubb said, noting the clinic has performed about 521 surgeries since opening in June and has administered roughly 976 vaccinations. Jason Yates highlighted shelter statistics the presenters say show Davidson County’s euthanasia rates for 2024 at about 39 percent for dogs and 56.7 percent for cats, and contrasted those figures with nearby counties that report much lower rates.

The presenters described the clinic’s operating model as volunteer‑heavy; multiple part‑time veterinarians currently travel from nearby counties (several came from Durham) and the operation charges substantially less than private veterinary clinics. PAWS listed common price comparisons: county vouchers and some mobile units charging roughly $75 for a cat, while standard private vet spay/neuter prices can range from about $400–$600. PAWS said the clinic charges as little as $95 for feral cat sterilizations and keeps dog pricing low through volunteer support.

Speaking to commissioners, Grubb said the nonprofit is not formally requesting a single fixed amount but "we're gonna put out a number" to begin budget conversations and suggested $100,000 as a possible future line item. She said Moore County provides about $50,000 annually to a comparable program and urged Davidson County to consider either annual funding or raising voucher levels to increase takeup.

Commissioners and staff asked operational questions about veterinary staffing, voucher processing and eligibility. PAWS confirmed it accepts existing county vouchers and partners with local rescue organizations (Loving Pet Project, Davidson County Animal Alliance, Animal Care Foundation) to verify eligibility; the organization described voucher amounts as variable based on animal needs and said funds are routed through the rescue groups for processing before PAWS receives payment.

PAWS leaders also described responding to hoarding events and noted that volunteers and rescue groups have stepped in multiple times (one incident reportedly included 156 animals) to prevent more animals from entering the shelter system.

Commissioners said they were supportive of the concept and asked county staff to follow up. No formal county funding action was taken at the Nov. 6 meeting; commissioners directed staff to meet with the presenters and to explore options, including potential voucher increases and whether a line‑item request should be proposed for future budgets.