ASPCA Grants More Than $340,000 to Local Animal Welfare Organizations to Expand Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Programs Throughout New York State

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced it will provide more than $340,000 to 15 local municipal shelters, animal control agencies and non-profits throughout the state of New York to create and expand low-cost spay/neuter programs.

The following grant recipients received funding for low-cost spay/neuter programs:

• Central New York Spay Neuter Assistance Program (CNY SNAP), Cortland
• Columbia-Greene Humane Society, Inc., Hudson
• Cortland Community SPCA, Cortland
• Dutchess County SPCA Inc., Hyde Park
• Hornell Area Humane Society, Hornell
• Humane Society of Livingston County, Avon
• Humane Society of Schuyler County, Inc., Montour Falls
• Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, Menands
• New Rochelle Humane Society, New Rochelle
• Paradise Garden Animal Haven, Woodhull
• Shelter Outreach Services (SOS), Ithaca
• Spay/Neuter/Now, Ltd., Hammond
• Spring Farm Center Alternative Research Education Sanctuary, Clinton
• Tompkins County SPCA, Ithaca
• Wanderers' Rest Humane Association, Canastota

“By providing grants that specifically fund low-cost spay/neuter projects, the ASPCA hopes to directly impact the number of homeless animals in New York, as well as help pet owners who are most in need of assistance,” said Michael Barrett, vice president of grants management for the ASPCA. “We encourage local animal shelters to apply for these grants, which will not only help expand their spay/neuter efforts, but could greatly impact their work to eradicate animal homelessness in their communities.”

Increased spay/neuter programs can help to prevent litters of homeless kittens and puppies from entering the sheltering system, in addition to reducing the number of free-roaming cats in communities when Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is practiced. Spaying and neutering not only helps reduce animal homelessness but has numerous behavioral and health benefits for dogs and cats as well.

The grants are administered through the New York State Animal Population Control Program (APCP), a low-cost spay/neuter granting program managed by the ASPCA on behalf of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Funds are garnered from pet licensing fees collected by towns, which are then sent to the state. Quarterly, the state sends these funds to the ASPCA to be granted out specifically toward low-cost spay/neuter programming. The ASPCA is still accepting applications, and organizations can apply for these grants by visiting the ASPCA’s grants website.