News
Support Spay Day USA on February 24
February 20, 2009, 5:23PM MT
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A day to commit to doing your part to stop pet overpopulation and reduce the euthanasia rates of healthy cats and dogs
A day to commit to doing your part to stop pet overpopulation and reduce the euthanasia rates of healthy cats and dogs
by Barbara J. Koll, Best Friends Network Volunteer
Spay Day USA began in 1995 as a project of the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) with the goal of reducing pet overpopulation. DDAL merged with The Humane Society of the United States in 2006 to maximize the effectiveness of the two animal welfare organizations. Each year HSUS works with local shelters, humane organizations and rescue groups, veterinarians and their staff, and individual volunteers to offer special spay-neuter events, sponsor mobile clinics, raise money to fund surgeries, and increase public awareness about the importance of spaying and neutering. Since 1995, over one million animals have been spayed or neutered as a result of the countless number of organizations and individuals participating in Spay Day USA.
Spay Day USA falls on the last Tuesday of February. The main objective of Spay Day USA is to inspire and encourage individuals to have their pets and other animals in need spayed or neutered. Other objectives include raising money to fund spay/neuters for ferals and strays and animals whose caretakers need financial assistance and educating the public of the urgency and necessity of spaying and neutering their family pets.
On Spay Day 2008, thousands of volunteers in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands worked together to save the lives of thousands of animals and promote the concept of no more homeless pets. More than 32,000 cats and dogs were spayed or neutered and more than $200,000 was raised for spay/neuter projects. The spay/neuter message reached more than 13 million people across the country as a result of the efforts of volunteers on Spay Day 2008.
Animal care professionals agree that spaying and neutering companion animals is the best long-term solution to pet overpopulation. It also improves the quality of life for the animals. Pets that are spayed/neutered have a reduced risk of certain types of cancer and other diseases. Spayed females cannot get uterine or ovarian cancer and are at a reduced risk for breast cancer. Neutered males cannot get testicular cancer. They have a reduced tendency to fight other animals. Pets who are spayed/neutered wander less in search of mates and stay closer to home. They are less aggressive, more relaxed, and frequently more affectionate. The pet owner who has their pet fixed is an integral part of the campaign with the ultimate goal of no more homeless pets.
On February 24, individuals and organizations across the country will come together for a day of action to fight the tragedy of companion animal euthanasia by advocating increased spay and neuter efforts. Animal rescue volunteers, shelter staff, veterinarians, animal welfare professionals, business owners and individuals will join forces to provide spay/neuter services and promote spay/neuter as an effective means of decreasing the killing of homeless cats and dogs in shelters. This effort will ensure that the offspring of our companion animals won’t be born only to die alone in a shelter without a family who loves them.
No matter how homeless animals end up in shelters, half of them will die even though most of them are perfectly healthy and adoptable. Each of these animals’ lives has value. Each is a unique creature with needs and feelings. The fact that most are healthy and affectionate when they are killed makes their deaths all the more unnecessary and poignant. We have the ability and the obligation to meet the challenge of reducing the number of needless animal deaths. Spay Day USA is a great way to begin to meet this challenge.
Fact about pet overpopulation:
• An unspayed cat can give birth to 18 kittens each year and an unspayed dog can give birth to 20 puppies each year.
• The average cost for a shelter to handle a homeless animal is around $200.
• Every eight seconds, a cat or dog is euthanized in an animal shelter in this country. Annually, more than 4 million animals are euthanized in shelters.
• More than $1 billion is spent each year to provide community animal control services and care for homeless animals.
• Between six and eight million cats and dogs enter animal shelters every year in the United States, but only about half of them make it out alive.
What you can do:
• If your own pet is not spayed or neutered, schedule surgery immediately.
• If you pet is already spayed or neutered, sponsor spay/neuter surgery for an animal awaiting adoption at a local shelter, a feral cat, or the pet of someone in need of financial assistance.
• Encourage your friends, families, co-workers and neighbors to spay and neuter their pets.
• Organize a group of fellow animal lovers to start a Trap-Neuter-Release program for the ferals in your community. Click here for more information on starting a TNR program.
• Click here to find a Spay Day USA event in your community.
• Learn more about the Myths and Facts of Spaying and Neutering.
• Click here for more information on Spay/Neuter programs.
• Find affordable spay and neuter services in your community.
Photo courtesy of MorgueFile.com.