City of Fort Smith amends pet regulations with expanded voucher program

The Fort Smith Board of Directors passed an ordinance Jan. 19 amending the city’s animal regulations as well as resolutions that will help residents spay and neuter pets and to help with the city’s feral cat population.

When the board passed an ordinance in March that overhauled the city’s animal and pet regulations, they required spaying and neutering pet dogs and cats to help reduce the excess animal population in the city. An amendment to the ordinance, passed in April, noted that the city may offer vouchers to help income-qualified residents pay for sterilization of their pet dog or cat.

“The original language allowed for one voucher per household per year. Such language is fine for when the stray animal population is under control, but for an initial period, the feeling is that qualified households may need more than one voucher to get their existing pets sterilized,” noted a memo from Josh Buchfink, the city’s public relations manager.

The amended ordinance allows up to four vouchers per household through Dec. 31, 2026. The vouchers are not to exceed $100.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, households would be limited to one voucher per calendar year, according to the ordinance. The proposed ordinance also amends the voucher section by specifying that the city’s voucher may also be used to cover the costs of microchipping and rabies vaccinations (if needed) when done at the time of the sterilization procedure. Microchipping and rabies vaccinations are required in the animal pet requirements of the city.

Eligible pet owners may request vouchers online on a first-come, first-served basis. Voucher quantities will depend on available and budgeted funds, a memo from Buchfink on the spay/neuter voucher system states. Proof of residency and income is required for the voucher application.

“This voucher system is a step towards humanely reducing the stray animal population in Fort Smith. This resolution is a significant move towards ensuring the health and safety of our pet population,” the memo states.

The city budgeted $75,000 for the vouchers for 2023 and for 2024. None of the voucher funds were spent in 2023, leaving $150,000 available this year, the memo states. The funds will come out of the city’s general fund.

Director Christine Catsavis suggested the board needs to remove the income requirements for the vouchers until the pet population is under control. Director Kevin Settle said leaving the income requirements in place would allow those with the biggest financial need to benefit the most from the voucher system for at least the first year.

“I’d rather have a targeted approach to the underprivileged, those who can not afford it, at least for the first year,” Settle said.

Director Lavon Morton agreed, saying keeping the income regulations in place will allow the city to see how many residents will take advantage of the program. The program will begin once the city has signed agreements with at least one veterinarian clinic in the city, Buchfink said.

The board also passed a resolution that establishes a program for the trapping, sterilization, and releasing of feral cats in Fort Smith. The program would allow veterinary services to perform spaying/neutering, medical evaluation, vaccinations, ear notching, and record-keeping. Providers are required to maintain records of treated feral cats, including the number of cats, details of persons delivering the cats, and the locations where these animals were trapped and returned.

Providers who have completed an agreement with the city will be paid $50 per feral cat treated under the TNR program. Invoices must be submitted to the city for processing and payment. The funds for this program would also come from the $150,000 available for 2024 for the voucher program, Buchfink said.