Hampshire High teacher outlines plan for school-based spay‑neuter clinic and veterinary training program

Mr. Lewis, the animal veterinary science teacher at Hampshire High School, told the Hampshire County Board of Education that the school’s veterinary facility will serve both as a training site for students and as a spay/neuter clinic for the community. "The goals of the facility are in terms of opening up a spay neuter clinic at our school," he said, describing plans to give students real, hands-on experience with routine veterinary tasks.

The presentation explained why the program matters: Lewis said modern veterinary practices handle higher daily caseloads, reducing on‑the‑job training opportunities for students and recent graduates. The school’s facility, he said, can provide experience with basic diagnostics and procedures — from running ELISA tests to assembling surgery packs — and create a pipeline into vet‑tech programs and residency placements.

Lewis described procurement and regulatory steps already underway. After a protracted bidding process he reported an official purchase order and payment processed for about $43,000 in equipment. "As of today we do have an official purchase order number and a credit card has been run for the $43,000 for the equipment to arrive at Hampshire High School," he said. He also told the board the West Virginia Veterinary Medical Board provides a four‑page checklist and that the facility will be inspected as part of licensure.

On clinical oversight, Lewis said Dr. Heather Shafer of Augusta Animal Hospital — a Hampshire High graduate and Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine alumna — has agreed to serve as the veterinarian‑in‑charge, responsible for ordering and documenting controlled drugs and clinical decisions. Lewis added the school will not store anesthesia drugs on campus; Dr. Shafer will transport and control those medications per board rules.

Partnerships and operations were central to the plan. Lewis named external partners including Reproductive Specialty Group (RSG) and Ova Genetics and said those ties could enable advanced reproductive work such as embryo transfer. He also proposed a working relationship with Cape and TNR (trap‑neuter‑return) to schedule and handle community cats locally rather than sending animals out of county.

Lewis cited recent TNR activity to justify local capacity: he said Cape and TNR handled 265 cats year‑to‑date (171 in Hampshire County) and 719 cats in 2025, with more than 3,500 cats processed since 2020. He described phased operations starting with small daytime educational cases and scaling to monthly or seasonal mass clinics (December–February) and Saturday clinics once students are trained. Lewis stressed safety and training: "I want it to be right before I have 30 cats looking at me," he said, describing stepwise student involvement.

Board members asked about scope and staffing. Lewis said the clinic will focus on cats initially and is not planning dog surgeries at this stage. He said the facility can support two concurrent surgeries and plans to rely on rotating veterinarians and visiting fourth‑year veterinary students rather than hiring a full‑time veterinarian on staff. He flagged sustainability as a key issue and suggested forming a supporting nonprofit to ensure continuity after his eventual retirement.

The board thanked Lewis and members were invited to tour the facility. Lewis encouraged follow‑up questions and emphasized community partnerships and student outcomes as the program’s central goals.

The board did not take a formal vote on the clinic during the meeting; the presentation served as an update and a request for continued support and oversight.