Local volunteers ask Union County for $2,400 to expand cat sterilizations; program has spayed 737 cats since 2022

Jillian Miller, speaking for a community coalition, asked the Union County Board of Commissioners for a modest $2,400 contribution to support two existing programs that reduce unwanted cats: a subsidized surgery program and a trap-neuter-return (TNR) initiative.

"Since 2022, 585 cats have been fixed through this program," Miller said, and she added that since 2025 the TNR program has sterilized 152 feral cats — "that's 737 cats sterilized since 2022." She proposed resident co-payments of $50 per surgery while the organization covers remaining veterinary costs and rabies vaccination and named Miller James and Ulrich Veterinary Clinic as partners.

Commissioners asked how the funds would be tracked and whether the group could provide records. Miller said the coalition maintains records and the partner clinics do as well, and offered to provide quarterly documentation to the county. She detailed estimated per-animal charges: "At Miller James, a male cat costs $57 for a neuter and a rabies vaccine. A female cat costs $107," she said.

The board did not immediately approve county funding during the meeting; members asked procedural questions about tracking and eligibility and agreed to take the request under consideration, with Miller offering to provide supplemental documentation on expenses and reporting cadence.