Madison County Awarded Joanie Bernard Foundation Grant Participation in the Bluegrass Cat Spay Neuter Project alongside Team Shelter
Grant enables citizens to help control the community cat population with spay and neuter programming in Madison County.

Richmond, KY (November 30, 2021) – The Madison County Animal Shelter was named a 2022 recipient of the Joanie Bernard Foundation and Team Shelter, USA Bluegrass Cat Spay Neuter Project grant. This award, in partnership with the Bluegrass Area Development District’s Bluegrass Cat Spay Neuter Project, totals $12,000 is to provide spay and neuter services to the community cat population in Madison County. 

Madison County was selected based on a Bluegrass Community and Shelter Needs Assessment, conducted by Dr. Sara Pizano, DVM and Animal Welfare Strategist with Team Shelter USA. “We continue to be impressed by the dedication of all the Service Providers and shelters despite the ongoing ramifications of Covid-19. We are grateful to everyone who has made this regional program a success and look forward to another productive year.”

Community cats are defined as outdoor cats without owners. These animals typically are found in public spaces including but limited to around shopping centers, residential neighborhoods, and apartment complexes.

The Bluegrass Cat Spay Neuter Project encourages citizens to trap community cats and bring them to a participating veterinarian clinic.  Madison County is pleased to have partnered with Lewis Veterinary and Skipworth Veterinary Clinic to provide the spay and neuter service in compliance with this grant for Madison County for 2021 and we can't thank them enough for their commitment to animal welfare and this program.

Upon trapping a community cat, citizens shall contact the vet clinic and schedule an appointment.  The grant will cover the cost of the spay/neuter as well as rabies, basic vaccinations, and ear-tipping for the cat.  Upon completion of the spay or neuter, the Clinic will release the cat back to the citizen who will return the community cat to the location to where it was found. 

The goal is to reduce Madison County community pet population in a safe and responsible manner.  The average female community cat gives birth three times a year with a litter of approximately three surviving kittens over a lifespan of 15 years.  This means the average community cat can birth up to 135 kittens in its lifetime.   

“This is a great opportunity for us to control the community cat population,” said Madison County Animal Shelter Director Katie Hall. “As a shelter, we receive numerous calls regarding cat colonies and spay and neuter is one of the best ways to reduce these populations.”

The other counties that were chosen for the Bluegrass Cat Project are Anderson, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Powell, and Scott Counties. The grant will cover approximately 3,000 spay/neuters throughout these counties with the long-term goal of continuing to reduce shelter intake of cats and the euthanasia for space of healthy cats.

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