I would like to share an amazing opportunity that I've been given #ThankstoMaddie : ) Hoping it will provide a model that can be duplicated across the country!
Be. Spay/Neuter Consulting Awarded $384,000 Grant to Supercharge Veterinary Workforce in South Texas, Thanks to Maddie
Donna North High School and Palm Valley Animal Society to partner in delivering hands-on HQHVSN training in the Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX- March 6, 2026 - Be. Spay/Neuter Consulting has been awarded a $384,000 grant from Maddie's Fund®, a national family foundation established by Dave and Cheryl Duffield to revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals. The grant will support the launch of a veterinary training initiative in the Rio Grande Valley. In partnership with Palm Valley Animal Society and Donna North High School, Be. Spay/Neuter Consulting will provide hands-on, high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) surgery training and veterinary mentorship to local veterinarians, students, and technicians.
The Rio Grande Valley has long been identified as a "veterinary desert," a region with severely limited access to veterinary care and a persistent shortage of trained professionals. This initiative tackles that challenge from within the community itself. Training will be available to two distinct audiences: local veterinarians who want to expand their spay/neuter capacity and better serve the region's pet population, and students and veterinary technicians seeking hands-on learning opportunities to prepare them for careers in the field. By building skills and confidence at both ends of the professional pipeline, alongside partners Palm Valley Animal Society and Donna North High School, the program is designed to create a lasting, self-sustaining veterinary workforce rooted in the Rio Grande Valley.
"This is how we will tackle the veterinary shortage in this region. It is an honor to be able to work alongside the residents of the Rio Grande Valley. We look forward to building a strong veterinary workforce to provide expanded access to care along the border in south Texas," says Elsa Kohlbus Executive Director of Be. Spay/Neuter Consulting. "We are incredibly grateful to Maddie's Fund, and our partner groups at Donna North High School and Palm Valley Animal Society, for giving us the opportunity to provide hands-on, HQHVSN training and resources to the community."
About Be. Spay/Neuter Consulting:
Be. Spay/Neuter Consulting is dedicated to expanding access to high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter services across underserved communities. Through training, partnerships, and
community engagement, Be. Spay/Neuter works to build lasting veterinary capacity where it is needed most. Learn more at www.bespayneuter.org.
About Maddie's Fund®:
Established in 1994 by Dave and Cheryl Duffield, Maddie's Fund® is a family foundation and fulfillment of a promise to their dog, Maddie. She provided them joy for over ten years and continues to inspire us today.
Due to their generosity and vision, the Foundation has awarded over $301.3 million in grants toward increased community collaborations and live outcomes, pioneering shelter medicine education, establishing foster care as a standard across the U.S. and driving innovation in access to care. Maddie's Fund proudly offers the industry a national voice, important funding opportunities for bold ideas, learning resources and access to collaborate and share innovative solutions.
The Foundation invests its resources in keeping with Dave & Cheryl's promise, that pets and their people would enjoy the same experience they had with Maddie. We are committed to keeping pets and people together, creating a safety net of care for animals in need and operating within a culture of inclusiveness and humility. #ThanksToMaddie.
Maddie's Fund is part of The Duffield Foundation Family which also includes Liberty Dogs and Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation.
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Elsa Kohlbus
CEO
Be. Spay Neuter Consulting
TX
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