Agenda - 04-19-2011 - 4c - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 for a co-pay of $20. Residents are eligible based upon AnimalKind's income qualifications and apply through AnimalKind for a voucher that can be used at a number of area vets. The Orange County program differs from those of others through its incorporation of DSS and clients. This first-ever program allows not only the traditional $20 co-pay surgeries but also a "no-pay" service to any client of certain DSS services. Though the partnership between County departments and non-profit organizations is the most recognizable and tangible portion of the Community Spay/Neuter Program, many other elements have contributed to and distinguish this program. The process began in 2007 with a BOCC-approved licensing differential between sterilized and unsterilized pets, for instance, and the dedication of the differential amount to a Community Spay Neuter Fund. This fund in turn is used to cover the costs of both no-pay and co-pay surgeries for qualifying Orange County residents, and is also used to promote awareness of the services through outreach, advertising, and educational materials. All of these elements area part of Animal Services' 2010 BOCC-approved plan titled, Managing Pet Overpopulation: AStrategic Plan for Orange County, North Carolina (available on the spay/neuter webpage referenced above). The plan presents afive-year framework for managing pet overpopulation. Among other things, it reviews research about pet overpopulation; discusses appropriate measurement of "targeted" spay and neuter and its affect on shelter intakes; and underscores the cost controls on animal services provided by effective management of overpopulation. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with NCACC's presentation of the Award to the County and the Animal Services and Social Services Departments. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board accept the 2010 NCACC Outstanding County Program Award for the County's Community Spay/Neuter Program.