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Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont S.108 increases pet license fee surcharge for spaying and neutering program and transfers program administration
Last action · March 11, 2025: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on AgricultureSponsors: Alison Clarkson and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Vermont S.108 raises the mandatory pet from $4.00 to $6.00 to fund the Dog, Cat, and Wolf-Hybrid Spaying and Neutering Program, transfers program administration to the Department for Children and Families' Office of Economic Opportunity, and establishes a mandatory $50.00 pet owner co-payment effective July 1, 2025.
Pet owners across Vermont face a higher and a mandatory $50 co-payment to use the spaying and neutering program, while program oversight shifts to a different state agency.
- The General Assembly of the State of Vermont is the state legislature responsible for enacting statutory changes. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Pet owners
Pet owners face an increased license fee surcharge, a mandatory $50 co-payment per animal, and new program limits including an expanded definition of companion animals and increased animal limits.
Cities, towns, and villages
Municipalities must collect the increased mandatory license fee surcharge of $6.00 per license.
Participating veterinarians
Veterinarians are subject to a confidential fee schedule covering specific vaccinations, must be reimbursed within 30 days of invoicing, and will have their names published on the program website.
Key Facts
- Increases the mandatory pet license fee surcharge collected by municipalities from $4.00 to $6.00 per license.
- Establishes a mandatory minimum co-payment of $50.00 per companion animal for pet owners utilizing the Spaying and Neutering Program.
- Transfers statutory rulemaking authority for the Dog, Cat, and Wolf-Hybrid Spaying and Neutering Program and Fund from the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to the Department for Children and Families' Office of Economic Opportunity.
- Adds 'rabbit' to the definition of 'companion animal' under the program.
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- Increases the maximum number of companion animals per owner served by the program from four to five.
- Requires veterinarians' predetermined fee schedules to cover distemper and rabies vaccinations and remain confidential from the public.
- Extends the validity of pet owner vouchers to eight weeks.
- Requires the Office of Economic Opportunity to reimburse participating veterinarians within 30 days following invoice receipt.
- Mandates that the names of participating veterinarians be posted on the program's website.
- Takes effect on July 1, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will the pet license fee surcharge increase?
Which state office will now manage the spaying and neutering program?
What is the new co-payment requirement for pet owners using the program?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Mar 11, 2025SenateIntroducedRead 1st time & referred to Committee on Agriculture
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transfer of Animal Program Administration
Responsibility for administering the animal spaying and neutering program moves from an agricultural agency to a social services and economic opportunity office.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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