World Spay Day

World Spay Day began in 1995 as Spay Day USA, a project of the Doris Day Animal League. The event was renamed World Spay Day and is now an annual campaign of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Humane Society International and the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. On the last Tuesday of every February, World Spay Day shines a spotlight on the power of affordable, accessible spay/neuter to save the lives of pets, community feral and stray cats, and street dogs who might otherwise be put down in shelters or killed on the street.

February 23 was the 22nd annual World Spay Day.

Annually, February is designated spay/neuter awareness month. But why not make very day a spay day?

There are significant reasons to spay or neuter your pets, so don't wait until the last Tuesday in February to take action. It's the only reliable way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and avoid contributing to pet overpopulation - which results in an estimated 2.4 million healthy cat and dogs being euthanized at shelters every year!

You can help save animals' lives by participating in World Spay Day. It's up to you to spread the word about low-cost spay/neuter clinics using social media, word-of-mouth or actually getting involved in a spay/neuter clinic fundraiser and distribute materials. You can also approach government leaders and ask them to proclaim World Spay Day in towns or counties across the state. Visit http://www.worldspaday.org.

The decision to spay or neuter your pet is an important one for pet parents. It can be the best decision you make for your furry friends' long-term welfare.

Did you know that by spaying or neutering your pet, you'll help control the pet homelessness crisis?

Every year millions of healthy dogs and cats, including puppies and kittens, are euthanized in the United States simply because too many animals are ending up in shelters and there aren't enough homes to go around.

The good news is that responsible pet parents CAN make a difference! The fewer pets that end up in local shelters the better.

The Bend Spay & Neuter Project in Bend provides affordable, preventative veterinary care for cats and dogs.

Furry Friends Foundation in Sisters offers spay/neuter assistance to Sisters-area residents. For more information call 541-549-9941.

There are also medical and behavioral benefits to spaying (female pets) and neutering (male pets) your furry friends.

Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, which are cancerous in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats.

Neutering your male pet prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems.

Your spayed female pet won't go into heat and yowl in an effort to advertise for a mate.

Your male pet will be less likely to roam away from home. And once he's free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other animals. Your neutered male pet may be better behaved. Plus your male dog will be less likely to mount other dogs and people. Some aggression problems may also be avoided by early neutering.

You can also help control the feral cat population by Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) on World Spay Day. TNR is the humane and effective approach for stray and feral cats. It's been in practice in the U.S. for decades. Scientific studies show that Trap-Neuter-Return improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relationships with the folks who live near them and decreases the size of colonies over time.

Bend Spay & Neuter Project offers live traps for rent to assist in the trapping of feral/stray cats in your neighborhood. They can be reached at 541-617-1010.

Remember, every day in the United States, 9,000 healthy, treatable and adoptable pets are euthanized.