What you need to know about world spay day, February 27th, 2018

History of World Spay Day

Doris Day, a famous actress and avid animal welfare supporter, founded Doris Day Animal League in 1987 primarily to focus on legislation. Spay Day USA started in 1995 with an effort to “shine a spotlight on the power of affordable, accessible spay/neuter to save the lives of companion animals, community (feral and stray) cats, and street dogs who might otherwise be put down in shelters or killed on the street” (“World Spay Day”).  In 2006, Doris Day Animal League merged with the Humane Society of the United States and Spay Day USA was reborn as World Spay Day. In its 24 years, World Spay Day/ Spay Day USA has expanded to 70 countries worldwide.

How does only one unspayed cat or dog make an impact?

Just one cat can have as many as 100 kittens in their lifetime. Expanding that to its offspring, in only seven years, this one cat has populated hundreds of thousands of kittens through its offspring (“Fun Facts”). Depending on the dog’s litter size, one dog could produce 20-40,000 pups through their offspring.
What can we do?

1. Pledge to always spay or neuter your pets.
2. Share information about #WorldSpayDay on social media and with people in your community.
3. Offer to volunteer or donate to World Spay Day clinics for underserved or impoverished communities.
4. Raise money to support spay and neuter services.
5. Support legislation in your community that advocates, supports, or reinforces spaying and neutering.

What if I want to help but can’t do something in time for this year’s World Spay Day?

Spaying and neutering matters 365 days a year. It is one of the most impactful ways to reduce unwanted litters and the demand of more animals on community resources over time.  For more ways to support throughout the year, contact us  HERE.

References:
Humane Society of ​the United States. “World Spay Day.” The Humane Society of the United States, www.humanesociety.org/issues/spay_day/.
Doris Day Animal League. “Primary Menu.” Doris Day Animal League, www.ddal.org/.Fayette Humane Society. “Fun Facts.” Fayette Humane Society, www.fayettehumane.org/fun-facts/.