MA Animal Fund Helps 10K Dogs & Cats Through Voucher Program

Monday, February 04, 2019
GoLocalWorcester News Team

The Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) announced that the Massachusetts Animal Fund’s Voucher Program has assisted in spaying, neutering, and vaccinating 10,000 cats and dogs since 2014, when the Fund began.

“The Baker-Polito Administration is proud to celebrate that through the help of voluntary donations by Massachusetts taxpayers, the Massachusetts Animal Fund has been able to help so many animals in need within its first five years. The Voucher Program is a great example of how a strong partnership between state and municipal agencies can make an impact in animal welfare. We encourage Massachusetts taxpayers to continue to help vulnerable cats and dogs by donating to the Massachusetts Animal Fund,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton.

MDAR is asking taxpayers to help the Fund’s efforts to help animals in need in end animal homelessness by donating to the fund.

The Program

The Mass Animal Fund’s Voucher Program was created in July of 2014 as a mechanism to provide assistance to Massachusetts’ most vulnerable companion animals.

The Voucher Program is dedicated to bringing resources to homeless animals and animals owned by low-income Massachusetts residents. Obstacles such as poverty, insufficient funding, transportation, and lack of accessible veterinary care often prevent sterilization and vaccinations in these at-risk populations.

Through the Fund’s large collaborative network of municipal animal control officers and 37 local veterinary providers over 13,000 vouchers have already been distributed across the Commonwealth to reach these animals.

Since inception, the Mass Animal Fund has spent over $1.1 million dollars to sterilize and vaccinate animals in over 300 Massachusetts municipalities.