Several southeast Georgia animal facilities have been awarded funds through a state program focused on expanded access to low cost spay and neuter services and reducing the number of unwanted animals across Georgia.
| Appling | H.E.A.R.T. of Appling | 6,000 |
| Brantley | South Georgia Equine Rescue Inc | 5,000 |
| Bryan | Bryan County Animal Services | 2,750 |
| Bryan | Two Black Dogs Foundation | 12,000 |
| Candler | Metter Animal Shelter | 4,500 |
| Chatham | Humane Society for Greater Savannah | 6,000 |
| Chatham | Islands Feral Cat Project | 2,160 |
| Chatham | Red Clay Animal Rescue | 2,500 |
| Chatham | RENEGADE PAWS RESCUE | 25,000 |
| Effingham | Effingham County Animal Shelter | 1,500 |
| Emanuel | Swainsboro/Emanuel Co. Animal Control | 4,000 |
| Montgomery | Lucky Dog Rescue Ranch Inc | 2,750 |
| Tattnall | Tattnall County Animal Control | 2,750 |
| Wayne | WAGS RESCUE – WAYNE AND GLYNN SURROUNDINGS RESCUE Inc | 5,500 |
The counties are among 104 organizations awarded a total of $1.15 million in grants across the state under the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Dog and Cat Sterilization Program (DCSP). The program provides funding to licensed animal rescues, local government animal shelters, and veterinary medical foundations that offer low cost sterilization services.
The goal of the program is to make sterilization services more affordable and accessible for pet owners while helping communities address animal overpopulation.
The program is funded through several sources, including the sale of Georgia dog and cat specialty license plates, voluntary contributions made through state income tax returns and online donations made directly to the DCSP fund.
The $1.14 million is a record award under the program, an increase of nearly 44% compared with 2024.
“For more than 20 years, GDA’s DCSP has focused on making low or no-cost spay and neuter services available in communities across the state to help more Georgia families give their pets the care they need,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said in announcing the awards.
Organizations receiving DCSP funding performed more than 8,600 spay and neuter procedures statewide in 2024, according to the Department of Agriculture.
