Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
New state animal‑welfare director outlines VSIP concerns and coordination plans
Loading...
Summary
The newly created Division of Animal Welfare introduced director Lisa Millett on Jan. 14; she said VSIP (the Vermont spay/neuter incentive program) is popular but may not be self‑sustaining and that the division currently has one employee and is focused on coordinating local resources and delivering a comprehensive plan to the legislature.
Lisa Millett, director of Vermont’s new Division of Animal Welfare, told the Senate Government Operations Committee on Jan. 14 she has spent her first months mapping stakeholders and drafting a comprehensive plan to guide the new division’s work.
"I'm Lisa Millett. I'm the director of animal welfare," she said, describing her background as a professor of law and her work on spay/neuter programs and cruelty cases in Georgia. Millett said the division was created by 2024 legislation, she started in May and the comprehensive plan would be delivered to the legislature in the coming days.
Millett described the Vermont Spay/Neuter Incentive Program (VSIP) as a voucher program funded in part by an approximate $4 surcharge on dog licenses and administered by the Department for Children and Families. "It is a very popular program," she said, but added there are concerns the current funding and configuration do not make the program self‑sustaining and that targeted approaches may be more effective in areas with higher overproduction of animals.
Committee members asked whether the new division supersedes local animal control; Millett said local ordinances and animal control officers remain the primary enforcement mechanism and that the state division currently lacks statutory enforcement authority and has a single staffer. Her immediate aim is to organize the patchwork of local resources, provide advice and create a clear reporting pathway, not to supplant local enforcement.
Why it matters: the shift of animal welfare functions to a state division creates a focal point for coordination, funding decisions and possible program adjustments. VSIP affects low‑income Vermonters who rely on vouchers; senators suggested reviewing administration and funding options to ensure long‑term viability.
Next steps: Millett will deliver the comprehensive plan to the committee and asked for guidance on priorities; the legislature may consider whether to expand administrative authority or funding for VSIP and related programs.
