SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — More than 300 animals were spayed or neutered through the Nancy J. Brua Animal Care Center's low-cost program, last year. The funding for the program is now in jeopardy.
"I think there'd be a lot more dogs homeless or euthanized if these programs weren't available,” said Cochise County resident, Todd Watley. “If it's not broke, don't fix it.”
The state's new Regulatory Oversight Committee is proposing a bill, HB-2031P, that will eliminate a number of statewide committees, including the Arizona Companion Animal Spay and Neuter Committee. The committee provides funding to shelters and rescues for low-cost spay and neuter clinics across the state.
“It doesn't cost the state a penny to run this program,” said Arleen Garcia, Arizona Companion Animal Spay and Neuter committee member and animal control supervisor for Sierra Vista.
The committee members are volunteers from across the state. The committee is in charge of the Arizona Pet Plate program, which allows people to buy a special license plate. The plate costs $25, with $17 going to the committee for its grants.
"Everything that comes in gets distributed throughout all the organizations that apply for the grant,” Garcia said.
Since 2004 the committee has awarded more than $4 million to shelters and rescues in Arizona.
"It could cost the state more if animals are coming into shelters because of overpopulation, euthanasia,” Garcia said.
The concern is that removing an affordable option could cause fewer people to sterilize their animals or more strays to reproduce.
The Nancy J Brua Animal Care Center received $10,000 for low-cost spay and neuter clinics. The Friends of the Sierra Vista Animal Shelter also received $10,000 from the Arizona Companion Animal Spay and Neuter Committee.
The grant allowed the shelter to sell vouchers for the procedures for $20. Garcia says the money also supports the feral cat trap, spay, neuter, and release programs.
"It makes it affordable for our community to be able to get their pets sterilized to avoid the overpopulation,” Garcia said.
Watley has used the voucher program multiple times for dogs he’s taken in, after he says they were dumped on his street. He says eliminating the committee could have more long-term effects to communities.
“The cost of not doing it would probably far outweigh the cost of continuing with it," Watley said. "I think there's a lot of donors out there that would be willing to help. I myself would.”
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
