CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia program that has helped spay and neuter more than 98,000 dogs and cats since 2018 is seeking additional funding as a major private grant approaches its conclusion.
Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt has asked Gov. Patrick Morrisey for discretionary funding to sustain the W.Va. Spay-Neuter Assistance Program, which has provided assistance in all 55 counties.
The W.Va. Department of Agriculture has not disclosed how much additional funding is needed or when existing resources might be exhausted.
The program is financed through registration fees paid by pet food distributors doing business in West Virginia, along with private grants. Local governments and nonprofit organizations receive reimbursements for qualifying veterinary expenses.
“The program has added $5,200,000 to the economy without one tax dollar, which is a win-win for West Virginia,” Leonhardt said in an Oct. 29 department announcement. The figure is the commissioner’s estimate; the department did not provide a methodology for calculating it.
Pet owners struggle with veterinary costs
The Legislature established the program in 2017, and it began operating in 2018 to help pet owners afford sterilization procedures and reduce the number of unwanted animals entering shelters.
Participating rescue organizations say demand frequently exceeds available assistance, with vouchers claimed quickly and veterinary clinics booking appointments months in advance.
Dawn Brown, executive director of Rescue-Me WV, which serves Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson counties, said sterilizing larger dogs is a particular challenge.
“Many cannot afford the full cost of spay-neuter procedures, especially for larger dogs, so without this funding, even more dogs would be surrendered and euthanized, especially the bully breeds,” Brown said.
Rachel Burgess, executive director of the Fix ’Em Clinic, which operates the regional spay-neuter center in Charleston, said some pet owners travel hours to obtain affordable services.
“When cost is no longer the barrier, people show up—often traveling hours—because they genuinely want to help control the community cat population but simply need an affordable way to do it,” Burgess said.
The clinic serves pet owners from nearly one-third of West Virginia’s counties. Assistance also supports trap-neuter-return programs that sterilize free-roaming cats to prevent additional litters.
Pet owners seeking assistance can consult the department’s list of participating organizations, which includes the counties each organization serves. The department does not provide procedures directly to individual pet owners.
Private grants helped expand services
The program received substantial additional funding beginning in 2023 through a partnership involving the Mug-Z-Moo Foundation and the Federation of Humane Organizations of West Virginia.
The federation allocated $450,000 to the state program and awarded another $900,000 to clinics in six counties. The foundation subsequently committed $4.05 million over three years to support spay-neuter services.
According to the department’s annual program statistics, 18,168 animals were sterilized through the program in fiscal 2023, compared with 10,279 in fiscal 2022. Annual totals declined to 17,537 in 2024 and 13,089 in 2025.
In fiscal 2025, the program awarded approximately $1.09 million against funding requests totaling $1.65 million.
Participating shelters and rescue organizations credit the assistance with reducing unwanted litters and shelter overcrowding, although statewide figures measuring its effect on shelter admissions and euthanasia were not provided.
Shelters concerned about future funding
The program’s seven-member advisory committee recently supported Leonhardt’s request for additional state funding as the Mug-Z-Moo grant cycle nears its end.
Kathy Stone, director of Operation Fancy Free, which serves Jackson, Mason, and Roane counties, said the private grants allowed her organization to expand services into two additional counties.
“Without these grant dollars, we see no option to fund these vet expenses fast enough to truly address pet overpopulation in West Virginia,” Stone said.
The W.Va. Department of Agriculture has not announced whether the governor will provide additional funding or whether the Legislature will consider changes to the program’s financing.