Department of Public Safety: Fiscal Year 2027 Grant Application for Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Spay and Neuter Grants Program and Letter of Support

Department of Public Safety · Dave McDowell, Director · 2026-03-10

Background

Since 2023, the Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter (LLKAS) has applied annually for funding through the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Spay and Neuter Grants Program and has received the full amount requested each year. The grant funding allows the county to provide free spay and neuter services for pets owned by Calvert County residents who meet criteria income and location eligibility requirements. Established by Senate Bill 820 / House Bill 767 during the 2013 Maryland General Assembly legislative session, the program was created to reduce the number of cats and dogs surrendered to and euthanized in shelters by funding spay and neuter services for pets of low-income residents and feral or community cat colonies.

Discussion

For Fiscal Year 2027, the LLKAS is requesting grant funding to provide spay/neuter services for 140 pets and free rabies vaccinations for 120 pets. This will be the fourth consecutive year of the Free Spay/Neuter for Pets of Calvert County program, which has been fully funded through Maryland Department of Agriculture awards. This program is a key component of the shelter’s intake prevention strategy, reserving up to five free spay/neuter procedures per week for eligible residents in the nine zip codes that account for approximately 95% of the county’s population and over 96% of the shelter intake. The program helps expand access to veterinary care, keep pets in their homes and reduce unwanted litters entering the shelter system.

Extracted from the source document (public record).