(a) The agency of human services shall administer a dog, cat, and wolf-hybrid spaying and neutering program providing reduced-cost spaying and neutering services and presurgical immunization for dogs, cats, and wolf-hybrids owned or cared for by low income individuals. The agency shall implement the program through an agreement with a qualified organization consistent with the applicable administrative rules.

(b) The program shall reimburse veterinarians who voluntarily consent to spay or neuter dogs, cats, and wolf-hybrids under the auspices of the program. The reimbursement shall be less any co-payment by the owner of a dog, cat, or wolf-hybrid for the cost of each spaying or neutering procedure.

(c) The secretary of human services, in consultation with the chair of the Vermont Board of Veterinary Medicine, may adopt and amend rules pursuant to chapter 25 of Title 3 to enable the agency to carry out the purposes of this act. (Added 2003, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 39; amended 2009, No. 54, § 77, eff. June 1, 2009; 2011, No. 57, § 1.)