TURN OFF THE FAUCET: FUND ACCESSIBLE SPAY AND NEUTER IN RICHLAND AND LEXINGTON COUNTIES

Having spent more than 35 years in the Midlands of South Carolina, I have witnessed the heartbreaking consequences of the systemic problems affecting animals in Richland and Lexington Counties.

Since 1993, I have dedicated much of my life to rescuing and fostering animals in our community. The reality that healthy, adoptable dogs and cats continue to be euthanized because of overcrowding, unaffordable veterinary care and insufficient access to spay/neuter services haunts me.

These animals are not dying because they are unworthy of homes. They are dying because there are more animals entering shelters than there are available homes, kennels, foster families and rescue placements.

We cannot adopt, foster or rescue our way out of this crisis.

Imagine water pouring from an overflowing faucet. We continue mopping the floor by impounding, vaccinating, housing, transferring, adopting and euthanizing animals—but we refuse to turn off the faucet.

Spaying and neutering turns off the faucet.

Until we prevent unwanted litters, our shelters, rescues, employees, veterinarians and volunteers will remain overwhelmed. Taxpayers will continue paying to manage the consequences, and healthy animals will continue losing their lives.

Every litter prevented means:

• Fewer homeless animals suffering
• Fewer dogs and cats entering overcrowded shelters
• Fewer healthy, adoptable animals euthanized for space
• Less pressure on shelter employees, rescues and volunteers
• Fewer taxpayer dollars spent repeatedly managing the same crisis
• More lives saved

Richland and Lexington Counties have an opportunity to become leaders in humane and responsible animal-welfare policy. However, meaningful change requires more than temporary programs or limited appointments.

We are asking both counties to:

Establish dedicated, recurring funding for low- or no-cost spay/neuter services.
Ensure appointments are accessible and available within a reasonable time.
Partner with local veterinarians and nonprofit clinics to expand surgical capacity.
Provide sterilization and vaccination assistance for community cats and support responsible trap-neuter-return programs.
Expand public education about responsible pet ownership, breeder accountability and the importance of sterilization.
Strengthen foster, rescue and adoption partnerships while investing in prevention as the primary solution.
Establish measurable annual goals and publicly report the number of surgeries funded, shelter intake totals and euthanasia outcomes.
Coordinate services across county lines because animals do not recognize jurisdictional boundaries.
Foster homes and adoption events are essential, but they address animals after they have already been born. Spay and neuter addresses the crisis at its source.

Local businesses, nonprofits and churches can assist with fundraising, transportation, education, fostering and adoption—but county governments must provide consistent leadership and sustainable public funding.

This is a call to everyone in the Midlands who cares about animal welfare.

Please stand with me and urge our elected officials to prioritize prevention. Sign and share this petition, contact your council members and attend county council meetings.

We must stop mopping the floor and finally turn off the faucet.

No healthy, adoptable dog or cat should die simply because there is nowhere for that animal to go.

“A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.” — Proverbs 12:10

Prevention saves lives. Spay and neuter is prevention. Compassion requires action.

SAMPLE MESSAGE TO COUNTY COUNCIL

Subject: Please Fund Accessible Spay and Neuter Services

Dear Council Member,

I am asking you to make county-funded, low- or no-cost spay/neuter services—with appointments residents can actually obtain—a priority in the next county budget.

Our counties continue spending taxpayer dollars to impound, vaccinate, house and euthanize homeless animals. We are mopping the floor without turning off the faucet.

Spaying and neutering is how we turn off the faucet.

Please support dedicated, recurring funding for accessible spay/neuter services, community-cat sterilization and partnerships that expand local veterinary capacity.

Prevention will reduce shelter intake, relieve pressure on employees and rescues, protect taxpayer resources and save animals’ lives.

Please publicly explain your plan for reducing shelter intake and ending the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals for lack of space.

Thank you for your service to our community.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your county and council district]

LEXINGTON COUNTY COUNCIL

• Michael Bishop
803-849-4275
mbishop@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

• Larry Brigham
803-465-6263
lbrigham@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

• Darrell Hudson, Chairman
803-240-6077
dhudson@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

• Todd Cockrell, Vice Chairman
803-849-0295
toddcockrell@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

• Clifford Fisher III
803-849-4465
cfisher@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

• Charli Wessinger
803-730-7254
cwessinger@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

• Beth Carrigg
803-518-8077
bcarrigg@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

• Glen Conwell
803-351-7435
gconwell@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

• Todd Cullum
Office: 803-794-6930
Mobile: 803-518-6412
tcullum@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

General Council office: 803-785-8103
General Council email: countycouncil@lexingtoncounty.sc.gov

RICHLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

• Jason Branham
803-542-0002
branham.jason@richlandcountysc.gov

• Derrek Pugh, Vice Chair
803-977-4339
pugh.derrek@richlandcountysc.gov

• Tyra Little
803-422-0203
little.tyra@richlandcountysc.gov

• Paul Livingston
Office: 803-576-5463
Cell: 803-518-8160
livingston.paul@richlandcountysc.gov

• Allison Terracio
803-622-6029
terracio.allison@richlandcountysc.gov

• Don Weaver
803-995-3703
weaver.don@richlandcountysc.gov

• Gretchen Cooper
803-977-4337
cooper.gretchen@richlandcountysc.gov

• Tish Dozier Alleyne
803-457-2597
alleyne.tish@richlandcountysc.gov

• Jesica Mackey, Chair
803-977-4338
mackey.jesica@richlandcountysc.gov

• Cheryl English
803-949-0770
english.cheryl@richlandcountysc.gov

• Chakisse Newton
803-973-9652
newton.chakisse@richlandcountysc.gov

Clerk to Council: 803-576-2060

Please call and email respectfully—but persistently.

One message can be ignored. Thousands of Midlands residents speaking together cannot be ignored.