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Last Updated on February 25, 2021 by Aimee
If you aren’t a veterinary professional or animal advocate, you may not know a whole lot about it, so I created Your Guide to World Spay Day!
What is World Spay Day?
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 shelters.”
Millions of dogs and cats are euthanized each year due to shelter overcrowding, in part, caused by the overpopulation of companion animals across the world. World Spay Day helps to spread awareness about this issue and to educate the public on the importance of spaying/neutering pets.
When is World Spay Day 2021?
World Spay day falls on the fourth Tuesday in February so this year, that’s February 23, 2021.
Who Started World Spay Day?
Actress Doris Day! She was quoted once as saying…
‘I’ve never met an animal I didn’t like, and I can’t say the same thing about people”
A lifelong animal lover and activist, Day advocated for animals and hosted her first event in 1995 to promote awareness.
A Little Bit About the Doris Day Animal Foundation
According to their website, “The Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF) is a national, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Public Charity founded in 1978 as the Doris Day Pet Foundation. Despite the large number of animals that Doris and DDPF were rescuing, Doris knew it wasn’t enough, and that addressing the root cause of homeless pet overpopulation through spay/neuter was the key.”
“In 2007, the Doris Day Animal League merged with the Humane Society of the United States for an even greater legislative voice in Washington.”
If you’d like to learn more, be sure to visit the DDAF website.
Benefits of Spaying or Neutering Your Pet
Aside from the overpopulation issue, there are many benefits of spaying or neutering your pets – including helping them live a longer and happier life.
Spaying and neutering can eliminate your dog’s chance of developing certain life-threatening cancers and infections, such as prostate or ovarian cancer. Also, spaying/neutering your dog can decrease your pet’s long-term healthcare costs and even reduce those behavioral issues associated with the mating instinct.
How you can get involved in promoting World Spay Day
- Promote spay/neuter programs on social media such as Twitter and Facebook. Use hashtag #worldspayday
- Raise money for your spay/neuter programs. Raffles, bake sales, “spay-ghetti” dinners, restaurant nights, benefit concerts and shelter open houses are just a few examples of fundraising events that organizers have found to be successful.
- Spay or neuter your pet (If you, or someone you know, is having trouble affording veterinary care – please visit this link for resources).
