-by Deannalynn Arzola

Created by The Doris Day Animal League in 1995, WORLD SPAY DAY joined forces with Humane Society United States in 2006 in an effort to educate people around the globe about the overwhelming statistics attached to pet overpopulation.

Over 4 million dogs, cats, and other animals are needlessly killed in the United States alone due to the inability to place the unwanted (or lack of ability to care for the) animal. Here are some more staggering numbers:

• Cats can litter up to 18 kittens in a single year.
• Dogs can litter up to 20 pups.
• That number accounts for the birth of approximately 4,700,000 animals every year.
• In the first 15 years of WORLD SPAY DAY, our participants have provided permanent birth control to over 1,458,00 dogs, cats, and rabbits and thanks to their efforts, from 1995-2010, the lives of over 70 million domestic and sometimes feral animals have been spared an often painful life and needless death.

Officially taking place the last Tuesday in February, WORLD SPAY DAY is the first and only international day of action set aside specifically to promote the anti-overpopulation of pets in our society, bringing together veterinarians, their staff, animal welfare professionals, business owners and citizens, collectively educating the human population on the importance of pregnancy prevention in the pet population, exponentially decreasing the unfortunate necessity of euthanasia and saving the average taxpayer over $175, the typical cost to shelter an unwanted animal.

Please help us celebrate WORLD SPAY DAY by talking to your vet, your friends, your family. Spread the word. Educating people on the numbers doesn’t cost a thing. If you would like to donate, please visit HSUS’ website at humanesociety.org. Visit a shelter, adopt a shelter pet. You will be loved and appreciated every time you come home to your new best friend. Your new shelter pet will come home already spayed or neutered, as well. Donate to your favorite pet charity. Google WORLD SPAY DAY, learn about other ways you can help, and most importantly, spay and neuter your pets.

At Heaven Can Wait, it has always been our mission to prevent the horrible deaths of over 30,000 dogs and cats a year in Las Vegas by starting at the root of the problem, educating pet owners and sellers about the misery connected to the needless death of every beautiful animal, and business owners and volunteers about the need for funds to provide spay and neuter services at little or no cost to the many animal lovers and pet owners who simply cannot afford pregnancy prevention for their pets. While we have been in operation since 2000, and have several amazing programs to help pets find forever homes, we finally achieved our dream in 2009 when we opened our state of the art facility at Eastern and 95, providing low cost pregnancy prevention to Valley pet owners. Please visit our web site at hcws.org for more information. We also wish to thank our volunteers who work so tirelessly in support of our cause.

Help us celebrate WORLD SPAY DAY by sharing this knowledge with someone you know because someone you love will love you for it.