Joanie Bernard Foundation Celebrates 10 Years of Impact Reducing Cat Overpopulation Across Kentucky

[Cincinnati, OH, April 2026 ] — A decade-long initiative across Kentucky has spayed/neutered nearly 50,000 cats, reduced shelter euthanasia by 88%, and created a replicable blueprint designed to help other communities achieve similar impressive results.

Ten years ago, Northern Kentucky animal shelters faced an overwhelming reality: high shelter cat numbers, limited veterinary care access and euthanasia rates driven by lack of space rather than choice.

Now Kentucky is home to one of the most successful regional cat population initiatives in the

country — a joint effort spanning 26 counties that has eliminated euthanasia for space in

participating shelters and built a sustainable framework for long-term change.

This groundbreaking model was developed by Dr. Sara Pizano, DVM, and Maddie’s® Shelter

Strategy and Operations Consultant Cameron Moore, while both were consulting for the Joanie Bernard Foundation. Today, Dr. Pizano continues to support the program through her work with Team Shelter USA, a national animal welfare consulting firm.

BY THE NUMBERS (2016–2026)

• Nearly 50,000 cats spayed/neutered

• 88% reduction in euthanasia in tandem with dramatically reducing intake of cats

who were already cared for

• 26 Kentucky counties served

• $4.2 million invested in the program

• Zero euthanasia for space in participating shelters

Shedding New Light on Cat Overpopulation

In 2015, Dr. Pizano conducted shelter evaluations across the Northern Kentucky Area

Development District (NKADD). During the research, she found patterns familiar to many

communities: overwhelmed shelters, under-resourced staff and few preventive systems.

But what surprised her was the incredible opportunity already built into Kentucky's regional

structure.

"As we moved from county to county, certain patterns emerged," said Dr. Pizano. "Shelters

struggled with the same issues but weren't working together in meaningful ways. Meanwhile,

counties were already collaborating on human services through area development districts.

So the infrastructure for a regional animal welfare solution already existed — it just hadn't been leveraged effectively to address this."

That insight drove a new way of thinking: What if Kentucky could address cat welfare the same way it addresses other regional public needs — collaboratively, strategically and across county lines?

The Philanthropy That Brought an Impactful Program to Life

Dr. Pizano presented the program to the Joanie Bernard Foundation, which recognized its

potential early on and provided funding to support its launch. Established in 2008, the

foundation’s mission is to create a better world for cats through sustainable, humane solutions.

To accomplish this goal, the nonprofit organization also funds the Give Them Ten™ Movement, a national initiative promoting the message that cats can live even longer than their proverbial nine lives through increased spay/neuter efforts.

“When Dr. Pizano brought this program forward, the logic was undeniable,” noted Give Them

Ten Leader and Founder Deborah Cribbs. “If regions in Kentucky already work together on

transportation and senior services, why not animal welfare? After all, cats aren’t limited by

county lines — so funding and solutions shouldn’t be either.”

From the beginning, the program was built on broad collaboration. Dr. Pizano recruited private practice veterinarians, nonprofit spay/neuter providers, public and private animal shelters, and eventually adding mobile veterinary services to form a collective network focused on prevention through subsidized spay/neuter services.

With the foundation’s investment, the Northern Kentucky Area Development District agreed to serve as the program’s fiscal and administrative backbone — accepting grant funds, working with Team Shelter USA to reimburse veterinary providers, while Team Shelter USA provided mentorship to counties as they implemented community cat strategies, revised ordinances and more.

Shelter Leaders Saw the Transformative Change Firsthand

For local shelters, the impact was immediate and lasting.

"Before this program, kitten season felt like a tidal wave every year," said Colleen Bray, director at Boone County Animal Care & Control. "We simply didn't have the space or resources to keep up. But increased spay/neuter access changed everything. Instead of having to respond to constant emergencies, we finally had a way to prevent them."

Staci May of the Bluegrass Area Development District also noticed a huge improvement.

"For the first time, counties stopped working in isolation," May said. "We weren't just trying to

solve the problem inside our own four walls — we were part of a shared regional effort. That

shift made all the difference."

Early Results and a Decade of Growth

Between 2015 and 2017, participating shelters saw two dramatic outcomes:

• Cat intake dropped from 5,188 to 3,797 (a 27% decrease)

• Euthanasia numbers fell from 3,422 to 443 (an 88% decrease)

Some shelters ended euthanasia for space within months. Others took longer. But over time,

every participating community moved toward more humane, sustainable outcomes.

In 2017, the initiative received national recognition through a National Association of

Development Organizations Innovation Award, spotlighting Kentucky as a leader in regional

animal welfare collaboration.

Over the past decade, the program has expanded into additional area development districts — including the Bluegrass Area Development District and Gateway Area Development District.

A Blueprint for Communities Everywhere

What began as a Northern Kentucky pilot has emerged as a proven, replicable blueprint for

communities throughout the nation. While Kentucky’s area development districts provide a

unique foundation, the program demonstrates how communities can leverage existing regional infrastructure to collaborate across their own county lines.

Dr. Pizano has also shared the program’s incredible results at animal welfare conferences

across the country, highlighting this coordinated approach as a game-changing solution to one of sheltering’s most persistent challenges.

“This is a framework any community can adapt and build from,” said Dr. Pizano. “When

shelters, veterinarians, funders, non-profit organizations and local government work together

through established systems, lasting progress becomes possible. Using private funding to show municipalities that a strategy is impactful has led to many participating counties also

contributing funds to spay/neuter.”

Looking Ahead

The Joanie Bernard Foundation and the Give Them Ten Movement remain committed to

supporting long-term, compassionate strategies that reduce suffering and prevent

overpopulation at its source. And not surprisingly, the foundation will continue funding the

program in 2026 — supporting ongoing spay/neuter access and regional coordination across participating Kentucky counties.

"This dedicated work proves rural communities don't have to accept cat overpopulation as

inevitable," Cribbs said. "With the right structure and commitment, lasting change is more

attainable than ever.