HINTON W.Va. (Hinton News) – Nearly a million dollars a year in spay and neuter funding assistance is set to expire next year without legislative action. A bill submitted by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture was introduced on the opening day of the state legislature on Feb. 12 by lead sponsor Delegate Doug Smith of Mercer County. House Bill 2158 seeks the elimination of a sunset clause on the West Virginia Spay Neuter Program responsible for assisting 84 humane societies in the state offering vouchers in 54 counties, including Summers County.
Federation of Humane Organizations President Theresa Bruner says the $450,000 annual fund involves zero taxpayer money. “The funding,” according to Bruner, “comes from the fee from pet food registration at the WVDA. $356M in pet food was sold in WV in 2023 – one-tenth of one percent (.001%) is provided to WVSNP. The $450,000 for the State Spay Neuter Fund is currently matched by a $450,000 donation through FOHO WV by an anonymous private donor.” West Virginia is one of only 5 states with this spay-neuter assistance program funded by this manner. WVSPN provides grants to 501c3 local government organizations and humane organizations and has funded over 80,000 population control surgeries since 2018.
Summers County Humane Society advocate Gayle Rancer appeared before the Summer’s County Commission the day after the bill’s introduction to explain how essential WVSPN funding assistance is and has been to dogs and cats in Hinton and the county. “As funding for the program requires nothing from tax revenues and is already in force,” Rancer appealed to commissioners to support the legislation to “strike the sunset clause and encourage the state senate and house to continue the funding assistance program without interruption”. Vouchers will become available through the local humane society beginning in March.
“Demand for vouchers is great here in our community,” Rancer explained. “SCHS (ACWP, Inc.,) has been able to help pet owners with rising costs of spay and neuter through local vets and ‘Fix It” clinics in the state over the years, and it’s essential this funding continues. Hundreds of dogs, cats and feral communities of felines have benefited from this funding assistance. Registration fees paid by pet food companies amount to zero tax assessed on West Virginia taxpayers.”
County Commissioners Charles Saunders, Ted Kula and Mike Gore agreed to advocate for the legislation. Commissioner Kula said “Advocating for this bill is consistent with the county’s commitment” to animal welfare. Commissioner Gore, who participated via telephone, said supporting the ongoing program is the right thing to do, “we will support and take it up when we meet with our representatives in March.” That meeting will be held in Charleston. In the meantime, a similar bill will be forthcoming in the Senate. In a recent phone conversation Senator Woodrum “It’s an established program and asks for no taxes” from West Virginia taxpayers.
To advocate for the continuation of spay-neuter assistance through the non tax dollars WVSPN funding, SCHS and FOHO request phone calls, emails and letters be sent to Delegate Roy Cooper and Senator Jack David Woodrum (Summers County) and Senator Vince Deeds (Greenbrier County).
Email addresses: jack.woodrum@wvsenate.gov; roy.cooper@wvhouse.gov; vince.deeds@wvsenate.gov
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