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Nelson County SPCA asks supervisors for $60,000 as shelter reports rising costs and high intake
Summary
The Nelson County SPCA requested $60,000 from the FY27 county budget, saying donations cover most but not all of its $540,000 annual expenses and describing 2025 intake and veterinary costs.
Denise Merrick, president of the Nelson County SPCA, asked the Nelson County Board of Supervisors on March 10 for $60,000 to support shelter operations and community spay/neuter programs.
Merrick told the board the private, foster-based rescue operates an adoption facility north of Livingston and that in 2025 the organization cared for 89 dogs and 267 cats; of those animals, 241 were adopted, 41 were transferred to other rescues and 12 were humanely euthanized for untreatable medical reasons. "We do budget on a calendar year basis and our budget for 2026 includes $420,000 in expected donations," Merrick said, adding that annual expenses total about $540,000.
Merrick outlined recent veterinary and community services spending: roughly $143,000 on general veterinary care in 2025 — including a $3,000 heartworm treatment for a large dog — spay/neuter work for program animals and low-cost clinics that served 123 community dogs and 196 community cats. She said the SPCA provided nearly $44,000 in direct financial assistance to residents in 2025.
Merrick emphasized the shelter currently receives no county operating funds and asked the board to consider the $60,000 proposal while noting a smaller $10,000 contribution would also be helpful. "We are the only resource in the community for residents to get assistance with cats," she said, explaining animal control in Nelson does not intake cats and the SPCA must manage those cases within statutory limits.
Board members asked for clarifying intake and animal-control numbers; Merrick said she would follow up with specific figures. Supervisors indicated they would review the request in upcoming budget work sessions and seek animal-control data to better quantify county demand.
The board did not vote on the request at the meeting; members said the funding appeal would be considered as part of work sessions on the FY27 budget.
