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The Prince William Board of County Supervisors has greenlit a directive known as the “Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release” program, facilitating third-party involvement in the spay and neutering process for the county’s feral cat population in tandem with the Animal Services Center.
The board approved the directive on July 14 by a 7-1 vote, with Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega dissenting.
During this week’s work session, Woodbridge District Supervisor Jeannie LaCroix introduced the directive as a means of mitigating Prince William’s abundant feral cat population, which currently exceeds 50,000.
“Our animal shelter is not able to hold them all right now,” LaCroix said from the dais. “We have other organizations that really are wanting to and willing to do the work for us — so that’s what my directive is about, allowing them to use these funds.”
Vega objected to the directive, noting that it presented an off-cycle budget ask. The Coles supervisor also underscored existing funds for the center’s HVAC have gone unused.
County Executive Chris Shorter said money already allocated in the fiscal 2026 budget had indeed remained untouched, but said the unspent funds would enter the county’s reserves per the board’s Principles of Sound Financial Management.
Shorter said the directive instructs staff to provide a new “pot of money” to allow for contract relationships with third-party animal services organizations that will assist the county in providing neuter services.
“It is additional funding … [that] will do the same thing that we’re doing at the Animal Services Center,” he said, “but it will increase the capacity to do so.”
According to the directive, “The fiscal 2027 budget includes $48,000 to support approximately 50 spay/neuter procedures per month (600 cats annually). However, with an estimated feral cat population approaching 50,000 in Prince William County, additional capacity is needed to address the current community need.”
The directive allocates “up to” a further $48,000 for the program.
Shortly before the vote, Chair Deshundra Jefferson voiced her support for the measure.
“I support this — I know that this is something that we need,” Jefferson said. “Thank you for raising your concerns about the financial implications.”
