Board reviews spay/neuter voucher usage; staff proposes reducing allocation

Board members and local providers reviewed the newly launched spay/neuter voucher program and its early usage at the Aug. 21 meeting. Staff and a veterinary provider said many calls for the program came from outside city limits, and usage by city residents has been lower than initially budgeted.

"So it was 50. 50," one participant confirmed when asked how many vouchers had been used to date. Staff said the city had funded the program at a level set for a significantly higher number of vouchers; to better match local demand they proposed reducing the FY27 allocation to about 30–40 vouchers and reallocating funds. Members discussed bundling rabies shots or microchipping with vouchers but noted that adding even modest vaccine costs would slightly reduce the number of vouchers available if the budget line is unchanged.

Board members agreed staff should run the numbers and return with a recommended allocation and estimated line-item cost for FY27. Staff noted surplus funds at the end of a fiscal year flow to capital reserves and do not automatically roll over to next year’s voucher line.