World Spay Day

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World Spay Day advocates spaying, or neutering, advocating it "as a proven means of saving the lives of companion animals, community (feral and stray) cats, and street dogs who might otherwise be put down in a shelter or killed on the street." [1] It is an event held on the last Tuesday in February each year.

Contents

History

The event first started as Spay Day USA, an annual event created by Doris Day and the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) in 1995, to promote spays and neuters across the country to help the problem of homeless pets. [2] After the DDAL's merger with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in 2006, [3] the tradition continued under the auspices of the HSUS as World Spay Day. [4]

In 2002, the event's goal was to spay and neuter 200,000 pets across the United States. [5] [6]

The Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF) reports that since 2008, they have granted HSUS $385,000 for spays and neuters of 9,421 animals in 39 states: 6388 cats, 3007 dogs, and 26 rabbits. [2] Many other organizations and individuals worldwide provide financial support, volunteer and participate in fundraising activities to promote World Spay Day. [7]

For World Spay Day 2024, the Found Animals Foundation donated $1 million to Community Animal Medicine Project clinics in Southern California. [8]

World Spay Day events in 2014

In 2014, 700 World Spay Day events were held in 41 countries, including all 50 U.S. states, and over 68,000 companion animals were sterilized. [4]

In Canada, World Spay Day in February 2014 included spay and neuter clinics in remote communities in northern Quebec, with additional clinics to follow. [9] In Halifax, Nova Scotia, a clinic sterilizing 25 cats brought the total number of cats sterilized by new low cost clinic to over 2000. [10] The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies used the 2014 World Spay Day to announce the publication of a report, The Case for Accessible Spay/Neuter in Canada, which "illuminates the lack of accessible spay/neuter in communities across the country and what can be done about it." [11]

Related Research Articles

Neutering, from the Latin neuter, is the removal of a non-human animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female animals. Colloquially, both terms are often referred to as fixing. In male horses, castrating is referred to as gelding. An animal that has not been neutered is sometimes referred to as entire or intact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trap–neuter–return</span> Strategy for controlling feral animal populations

Trap–neuter–return (TNR), also known as trap–neuter–release, is a controversial method that attempts to manage populations of feral cats. The process involves live-trapping the cats, having them neutered, ear-tipped for identification, and, if possible, vaccinated, then releasing them back into the outdoors. If the location is deemed unsafe or otherwise inappropriate, the cats may be relocated to other appropriate areas. Ideally, friendly adults and kittens young enough to be easily socialized are retained and placed for adoption. Feral cats cannot be socialized, shun most human interaction and do not fare well in confinement, so they are not retained. Cats suffering from severe medical problems such as terminal, contagious, or untreatable illnesses or injuries are often euthanized.

The Anti-Cruelty Society is an animal welfare organization and animal shelter in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The Anti-Cruelty Society is a private, not-for-profit humane society that does not receive government assistance. It is one of the largest such organizations in the United States. The organization offers adoption, veterinarian, and training services.

In some countries there is an overpopulation of pets such as cats, dogs, and exotic animals. In the United States, six to eight million animals are brought to shelters each year, of which an estimated three to four million are subsequently euthanized, including 2.7 million considered healthy and adoptable. Euthanasia numbers have declined since the 1970s, when U.S. shelters euthanized an estimated 12 to 20 million animals. Most humane societies, animal shelters and rescue groups urge animal caregivers to have their animals spayed or neutered to prevent the births of unwanted and accidental litters that could contribute to this dynamic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal Pet Rescue</span> Non-profit organization

Coastal Pet Rescue (CPR) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of homeless, abused and neglected animals in the coastal areas of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. Its goal is to save as many pet lives as possible through rescue, reduce pet overpopulation through spaying/neutering, and to provide opportunities to the public to become better pet guardians.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is an American nonprofit organization that focuses on animal welfare and opposes animal-related cruelties of national scope. It uses strategies that are beyond the abilities of local organizations. It works on issues including pets, wildlife, farm animals, horses and other equines, and animals used in research, testing and education. As of 2001, the group's major campaigns targeted factory farming, hunting, the fur trade, puppy mills, and wildlife abuse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong)</span> Charity

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a registered charity to promote animal welfare in Hong Kong, with outreach services to China.

A no-kill shelter is an animal shelter that does not kill healthy or treatable animals based on time limits or capacity, reserving euthanasia for terminally ill animals, animals suffering poor quality of life, or those considered dangerous to public safety. A no-kill shelter uses many strategies to promote shelter animals; to expanding its resources using volunteers, housing and medical protocols; and to work actively to lower the number of homeless animals entering the shelter system. Up to ten percent of animals could be killed in a no-kill shelter and still be considered a no-kill shelter.

United Coalition for Animals (UCAN) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2001 with the purpose of providing spay/neuter as a solution to pet overpopulation. UCAN made the decision in 2005 to open a Cincinnati-based spay/neuter clinic with the purpose of offering spay/neuter surgeries to low-income communities in the 12-county Greater Cincinnati region.In April of 2007, after thousands of volunteer hours along with a successful capital campaign, UCAN opened its non-profit Spay Neuter Clinic in Cincinnati's Queensgate area. Since that date, the clinic has provided over 67,000 spay/neuter surgeries.

Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization, headquartered in Mount Rainier, Maryland, that works to protect cats using trap–neuter–return for community cats; rescue, and neuter before adoption; promoting compassionate, non-lethal population control; and by providing national and international resources for cat caretakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine Animal Welfare Society</span> Organization

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is a volunteer-based, non-government organization whose goal is to prevent animal cruelty through education, animal sheltering and advocacy, based in Quezon City, Philippines. It was founded in 1954 by Muriel Jay. PAWS believes that the creation of a more peaceful society starts with the widening of mankind's circle of compassion which includes animals, thereby envisions a nation that respects animals, practices responsible pet ownership and protects wildlife. The volunteer-based organization rehabilitates these animals in the hope of finding them new homes and a second chance at a good life. PAWS does not take in pets of other people, but only victims of cruelty or neglect where the animal offenders are charged with violation of the Animal Welfare Act in court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humane Canada</span> Canadian animal welfare organization

The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS), branded as Humane Canada, is a non-profit animal welfare organization in Canada, representing humane societies, SPCAs, and animal rescue organizations. The organization's stated goal is to promote the welfare and humane treatment of animals and work to end animal cruelty.

Pediatric spaying or neutering is defined as performing an ovariohysterectomy (spaying) or orchidectomy on a kitten or puppy between the ages of 6 and 14 weeks. Spaying and neutering are sterilization procedures which prevent the animals from reproducing. The procedures are also referred to as “gonadectomies” in the veterinary literature.

The National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) is a non-profit organization in the United States dedicated to promoting animal welfare and animal husbandry practices, strengthening the human-animal bond, and safeguarding the rights of responsible animal owners and professionals through research, public education and public policy. The NAIA mission is "to promote the welfare of animals."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compassion and Responsibility for Animals</span> Organization in the Philippines

Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA) is a registered non-profit, non-government animal welfare organization in the Philippines. It was founded in 2000 by a group of animal lovers determined to help the plight of animals in the Philippines. The current president of CARA is Nancy Cu-Unjieng.

The Doris Day Animal League was an animal advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. It established the annual observance Spay Day USA in 1994, which the group uses to bring attention to the pet overpopulation problem in the United States. In 2021, the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) merged with the Humane Society Legislative Fund.

Alley Cat Allies is a nonprofit organization that advocates for reform of public policies and institutions in regard to the humane treatment of all cats. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, the group is best known for introducing trap–neuter–return (TNR) practices to the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petland</span> Chain of pet stores

Petland is a privately owned operator and franchisor of pet stores based in Chillicothe, Ohio. Ed Kunzelman founded the company in 1967. Petland currently operates 131 stores in the United States, and at least 63 in foreign markets including Canada, Japan, China, Mexico, Brazil and El Salvador. The chain is notable for its controversy over documentation from the Humane Society of the United States revealing the purchase of dogs from puppy mills.

Project Bay Cat is a trap-neuter-return initiative for community cats in Northern California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead Dog Beach</span> Beach in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico

Dead Dog Beach is a beach within the municipality of Yabucoa in southeastern Puerto Rico. Its nickname derives from it being a dumping ground for stray animals, mainly dogs that the inhabitants of Yabucoa could no longer afford. Most dumped animals were not spayed or neutered.

References

  1. World Spay Day, accessed July 21, 2014. [ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 "World Spay Day", Doris Day Animal Foundation, accessed July 21, 2014.
  3. "About the Doris Day Animal League", Doris Day Animal League, accessed July 21, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "World Spay Day", Humane Society of the United States, accessed July 21, 2014.
  5. "Area vets to take part in Spay Day USA". North Adams Transcript. 2002-02-13.
  6. "Mayor Declares Spay Day USA In the District". The Washington Post. 1999-02-23.
  7. "World Spay Day Event Planning Guide" Archived 2014-08-10 at the Wayback Machine , HSUS and HSI, Revised 12/5/2013.
  8. "Southern California pet clinics get $1M for World Spay Day". KTLA. 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  9. "HSI/Canada and Chiots Nordiques Team Up for World Spay Day" Archived 2017-11-10 at the Wayback Machine , Humane Society International/Canada, Feb. 25, 2014.
  10. "Pet Connection: Locals pitch in on World Spay Day", Pat Lee, thechronicleherald.ca, March 2, 2014.
  11. "Canada’s celebrity cats speak out: It’s World Spay Day, and they want YOU to spay/neuter!" Archived 2014-07-27 at the Wayback Machine , Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, February 25, 2014; report is available for download here: "Accessible Spay/Neuter" Archived 2014-02-24 at the Wayback Machine .