Aiken County to Build Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic to Address Record Shelter Intake

Aiken County will construct a clinic offering affordable spay and neuter services. Capital Projects Sales Tax V will fund the project with collections starting in May. Construction begins later this year, and the 2027 budget will cover staffing costs.

The county animal shelter has seen intake numbers skyrocket. According to the Aiken Standard, 5,925 dogs and cats arrived at the shelter last year, a 28% increase from the eight-year average.

County Council Chairman Gary Bunker announced the clinic as part of the 2026 goals. County Administrator Brian Sanders collaborated with council members, proposing the clinic as an investment that could pay off for years to come.

Development in the area means more people moving in, which FOTAS says will drive intake numbers even higher. The group issued a warning: after eight years of maintaining no-kill save rates, the shelter might have to start euthanizing animals again just to manage the population.

Greenville County offers proof this can work. Before 2017, that shelter dealt with the same per-capita intake rates Aiken County faces now. Then they built their own low-cost clinic. Greenville's intake has now plummeted by 60% because spay and neuter services prevented unwanted litters. If Aiken County sees similar results, annual intake could drop significantly.

FOTAS pointed out that affordable clinic services are scarce in the county. Design plans are already moving forward.

Once the clinic opens its doors and begins operations, FOTAS believes it will benefit the county, the animal shelter, and countless homeless animals.