South Florida Veterinary Foundation receives grant from Miami-Dade County Animal Services to help provide low-cost spay/neuter
Grant funds help create pioneer public-private partnership as part of County's no kill implementation plan
(MIAMI, Dec. 9) – An initial grant of $100,000 awarded to the South Florida Veterinary Foundation (SFVF) by Miami-Dade County Animal Services to help provide low-cost spay/neuter services to income-qualified dog and cat owners marks the first-time ever that Animal Services partners with private local veterinarians to reduce pet overpopulation.
“We recognized the value and importance of engaging the assistance of the local veterinary community to help us achieve our No Kill goals,” said Alex Muñoz, Director of Animal Services. “Partnering with the SFVF, who will develop and administer the program, provides a unique opportunity as there are no other non-professional and local not-for-profit groups that have local veterinarians as members.”
Funding for the grant is provided by the County’s Animal Services’ Department as part of the County’s No Kill Initiative. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 to 1,200 surgeries can be performed with the initial grant allocation. Increasing access to low-cost spay/neuter services in the community is a critical component of Animals Services’ No Kill policy and its efforts to reduce the number of unwanted and abandoned homeless cats and dogs.
The funds will be used by SFVF to create a program in which a network of participating, properly licensed, Miami-Dade County veterinarians and veterinary clinics are subsidized for the cost of performing the sterilization surgeries for the cats and dogs of income-qualified County residents. There are approximately 150 local licensed veterinary offices in Miami-Dade County eligible to participate in the program. The SFVF is a 501(c) 3 non-profit charitable foundation located in Miami-Dade County and comprised of local veterinarians in conjunction with Friends of the Foundation, a core group of volunteers.
The reimbursement rates for veterinarians and the pet owner co-pay amounts are presented in the table below.
To find a participating veterinarian visit the South Florida Veterinary Foundation website at http://sfvet.org
For more information, visit animals.miamidade.gov or call 3-1-1.
About Miami-Dade County Animal Services
Every year Miami-Dade County ASD provides care and refuge for over 27,000 unwanted dogs and cats. Every day, Animal Services staff and volunteers work diligently to find life-long homes for these abandoned animals by facilitating onsite adoptions, hosting off-site adoptions at events and locations throughout the community, and working collaboratively with over 70 rescue organizations who share in our goal of a no kill Miami-Dade County.
It is the policy of Miami-Dade County to comply with all of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The facility is accessible. For sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices or materials in accessible format, please call 305-418-7188 at least five days in advance.