Spay, neuter program renewal on Fort Smith board voting agenda

Barring any changes in sentiment, the Fort Smith Board of Directors is on a path to renew funding for a popular spay and neuter voucher program that animal advocates argue will eventually be a program the city will not have to fund.

As part of significant budget cuts in the 2026 city budget, $375,000 budgeted for a spay and neuter voucher program was not renewed. Several directors said during Tuesday’s (Feb. 10) study session that many in the community have asked them to reconsider funding the program that was created in January 2024 by a city ordinance.

“Clinics that offer services can register to participate in the program,” noted a memo from Acting Fort Smith City Administrator Jeff Dingman. “The vouchers are available to Fort Smith residents who self-verify that they meet the income requirements through the city website and can be redeemed at participating clinics. A city resident can bring their pet to the clinic and redeem their $100 voucher toward spay/neuter services for their pet. The voucher can also cover the cost of rabies vaccination and microchipping, as long as total services don’t exceed $100 (or the resident pays any amount above $100).”

The spay and neuter cost for a dog ranges between $361 and $829 and between $255 and $587 for a cat, according to CareCredit.

According to city documents, 2,318 animals were treated in 2024, and 1,523 were treated in 2025 before the funding was halted in August.

Directors Christina Catsavis, André Good, and Jarred Rego were quick to note that the program was popular, well-utilized, and overwhelmingly supported by animal advocates and shelters in the city and region.

Director Neal Martin said the board needs to be careful about new budget requests with a 2026 budget that was operationally balanced. He said the budget could become unbalanced, and if funding former programs is to be restored, the board should look at all previously defunded programs to determine priority.

“We need to be cautious about what we do,” Martin said.

Kemp agreed with Martin, but said the spay and neuter program is popular with citizens and will need several years to show results. To Martin’s point, Kemp suggested that the board hold an “honest study session” to discuss “tensions department heads are feeling” about budget cuts. He said such a study session could help the board set priorities for other funding renewals.

Dingman said funds not expended in 2025 could more than cover renewed funding of the spay and neuter program.

GaeVon Hoover, a supporter of the Kitties and Kanines shelter in Fort Smith, said if the city renews voucher funding there may be an uptick in the number of folks wanting vouchers because the program was halted in August 2025.

She said shelters nationwide report that spay and neuter support programs begin to show results in about four years, with significant results appearing by year 10. Program benefits include a reduction in stray animals, reduced municipal animal control costs, higher adoption rates of animals that have been spayed or neutered, and fewer animals that have to be euthanized.

Realtor and former Fort Smith Director Pam Weber said Fort Smith’s voucher program has helped the region address the stray animal issue.

“The good thing about this is that Fort Smith has started a trend, because now other cities in our area are giving their citizens this,” Weber said. “We’ve really led the way on this.”