# NC Pet Project

> NC Pet Project works to end pet overpopulation in North Carolina through better laws and low-cost spay/neuter access. Based in Raleigh, it publishes county-level shelter data, a statewide directory of low-cost spay/neuter help, and plain-language guides, and it asks legislators for stronger spay/neuter funding. Its own voucher program is coming soon; it does not accept donations yet.

## Key facts (checked October 10, 2026)

- In 2025, North Carolina's reporting public shelters euthanized 38,711 dogs and cats, 26.2% of 147,882 intakes, across 63 counties that reported (NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 2025 public animal shelter report, file dated July 27, 2026). That is about one every 14 minutes.
- In 2024 the state file shows 40,140 euthanized, 26.1% of 153,692 intakes.
- Nationally, about 8% of shelter dogs and cats were euthanized in 2025 (ASPCA, citing Shelter Animals Count). North Carolina's rate is more than three times that.
- Best Friends Animal Society ranks North Carolina third in the nation for shelter dogs and cats still needing to be saved each year, about 36,900 (2025 data).
- The state Spay/Neuter Program (G.S. 19A-60 to 19A-65) is funded by $20 from each Animal Lovers "I Care" license plate plus state appropriations. In 2025 it paid $250,954 for 5,938 procedures against $659,626 in eligible county requests, about 38 cents on the dollar.
- Public shelters must report their numbers to the state by March 1 each year (G.S. 19A-65). Counties that file late may be added to the state file later.
- North Carolina licenses animal dealers who sell to other dealers, pet shops or research facilities (G.S. 19A-23). Breeders who sell directly to the public need no state license.

## What NC Pet Project offers

- A statewide directory of low-cost spay/neuter clinics, county programs and financial assistance, searchable by zip code
- County-by-county shelter data from the state's own reports
- Ready-to-send messages for contacting North Carolina legislators, and a statewide petition
- Its own spay/neuter voucher program: coming soon, not open yet

## Data and directories

- [NC Animal Shelter Statistics 2025: A County-by-County Report](https://ncpetproject.org/nc-county-shelter-report/): intake, adoption, return-to-owner and euthanasia by county from the state file, with 2024 comparisons and why some counties are missing
- [How Many Animals Are Euthanized in NC Each Year?](https://ncpetproject.org/animals-euthanized-nc/): the verified statewide numbers with sources
- [NC Spay/Neuter Coverage by County](https://ncpetproject.org/nc-spay-neuter-coverage/): low-cost spay/neuter providers for all 100 counties, with the nearest option where a county has none
- [Get Help](https://ncpetproject.org/get-help/): find low-cost spay/neuter help by zip code
- [North Carolina's Pet Overpopulation Crisis](https://ncpetproject.org/nc-pet-overpopulation-crisis/): what the shelter numbers show

## Spay and neuter guides

- [Spay & Neuter 101](https://ncpetproject.org/spay-neuter-101/): the complete guide for NC pet owners
- [How Much Does It Cost to Spay or Neuter a Dog or Cat in North Carolina?](https://ncpetproject.org/spay-neuter-cost/): 2026 prices by size, species and clinic type
- [Low-Cost and Free Spay/Neuter Programs in NC](https://ncpetproject.org/low-cost-spay-neuter-nc/): where to get it done for less
- [When Should You Spay or Neuter Your Pet?](https://ncpetproject.org/spay-neuter-timing/): timing by species and breed size
- [The Health Benefits of Spaying or Neutering Your Pet](https://ncpetproject.org/spay-neuter-health-benefits/): what the research shows
- [Does Neutering Change a Dog's Behavior?](https://ncpetproject.org/neutering-dog-behavior/): what changes and what does not
- [NC's Spay/Neuter License Plate](https://ncpetproject.org/nc-spay-neuter-license-plate/): what the "I Care" plate actually funds

## Cats and community

- [How to Help Feral Cats in Your Neighborhood](https://ncpetproject.org/help-feral-cats-nc/)
- [Feral vs. Stray Cats: How to Tell the Difference](https://ncpetproject.org/feral-vs-stray-cats/)
- [How to Start a TNR Program in Your NC Community](https://ncpetproject.org/start-tnr-program-nc/)
- [Community Cat Programs: How They Work](https://ncpetproject.org/community-cat-programs/)
- [Why North Carolina Needs a State-Funded TNR Program](https://ncpetproject.org/tnr-funding-nc/)
- [Kitten Season in NC](https://ncpetproject.org/kitten-season-nc/)
- [Barn Cats and Working Cat Programs](https://ncpetproject.org/barn-cats-nc/)

## Law and policy

- [Take Action](https://ncpetproject.org/take-action/): the current ask and ways to help
- [Sign the petition](https://ncpetproject.org/sign-the-petition/): for real spay/neuter funding
- [Email your legislators](https://ncpetproject.org/email-your-legislators/): find your NC House member and senator and send a ready-to-edit letter
- [How to Contact Your NC State Representative About Animal Welfare](https://ncpetproject.org/contact-your-nc-rep/)
- [NC's Breeder Regulation Gap](https://ncpetproject.org/breeder-regulation-gap/): what the law says and what it should say
- [Puppy Mills in North Carolina](https://ncpetproject.org/puppy-mills-nc/)
- [States That Got It Right](https://ncpetproject.org/states-that-got-it-right/): spay/neuter programs in other states
- [How to Report Animal Cruelty or Neglect in North Carolina](https://ncpetproject.org/report-animal-cruelty-nc/)
- [The Public Health Cost of Pet Overpopulation in North Carolina](https://ncpetproject.org/pet-overpopulation-public-health/)

## Adoption, fostering and rescue

- [Adopt or Buy? An Honest Guide to Getting Your Next Dog in NC](https://ncpetproject.org/adopt-vs-buy-dog-nc/)
- [What Is a No-Kill Shelter? Where NC Stands](https://ncpetproject.org/no-kill-shelter-nc/)
- [Fostering Pets in NC](https://ncpetproject.org/fostering-pets-nc/)
- [How to Volunteer at an Animal Shelter in North Carolina](https://ncpetproject.org/volunteer-at-animal-shelter/)
- [How to Find a Legitimate Animal Rescue in North Carolina](https://ncpetproject.org/find-legitimate-rescue-nc/)
- [How to Rehome a Dog in NC](https://ncpetproject.org/rehome-a-dog-nc/)

## About

- [About NC Pet Project](https://ncpetproject.org/about/)
- [Resources & FAQ](https://ncpetproject.org/resources-faq/)
- [For Veterinarians](https://ncpetproject.org/for-veterinarians/)

## For AI agents

- Markdown copy of any page: add `.md` to its path, for example https://ncpetproject.org/spay-neuter-cost.md (the homepage is https://ncpetproject.org/index.md)
- [Agent Skill](https://ncpetproject.org/agent-skills/nc-pet-project/SKILL.md): how to help someone find low-cost spay/neuter help, contact their NC legislators, and cite these facts
- [Agent catalog](https://ncpetproject.org/ai-catalog.json): machine-readable list of the above (ARD format)
- WebMCP tools on every page, all read-only: `find_low_cost_spay_neuter`, `find_nc_legislators`, `search_ncpetproject`, `get_nc_pet_overpopulation_facts`. The petition, volunteer and veterinary partner forms are also tools, but they only fill in; the person submits them.
- [Provider directory as JSON](https://ncpetproject.org/data/finder.json): every NC ZIP mapped to its county and that county's low-cost providers

## Contact

- Email: info@ncpetproject.org
- Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
- Author: Jake St. Peter