February 26th is this year’s date for the annual Spay Day USA, a national awareness program sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The purpose of Spay Day is to promote spaying and neutering as a means to control pet overpopulation.
Good idea.
There are still more companion animals looking for homes than there are homes for them to live in. Just as an example: did you know that an unspayed female cat and her first litter can be responsible for the births of close to 500,000 kittens in their lifetimes? It seems unreal, but if you consider that litters average 6-7 kittens, with a female cat being able to have a litter every 2-3 months…it adds up pretty quickly!
HAWS is celebrating Spay Day USA 2008 by offering a free spay and neuter program for the companion pets of individuals in Waukesha County who apply and qualify. We have applications and more info on our website (www.hawspets.org/snip.html). If you or anyone you know is interested, please surf on over and see if this is the right option for you. If it isn’t, please still contact your veterinarian and have your pets sterilized - NOW.
If you are “for” spaying and neutering pets and would like to help out, we’d love that, too!! We’re asking our community to “Sponsor A Spay” by donating to help cover the expenses of one or more procedures. Donations of $5…$25…$75…whatever – all will be a big help. AND it will make you feel good – helping our neighbors while working to control pet overpopulation.
HAWS’ Spay Neuter Initiative Program has been providing spay-neuter services for our own shelter animals and others since 2001. We also work with breed rescues to help them control their pet health-care costs while they also place homeless animals in our community. (Check out Shooter to the right – he’s a retired racing Greyhound available for adoption thru our partnership with Greyhounds Only breed rescue.) And, the SNIP clinic has a year-round program to assist the low-income pet-owners of Waukesha County. Financial strain doesn’t discriminate - it can happen to pet lovers as well as anyone.
We’re here to help.
By the way – your pets need annual wellness exams, just like you! Don’t forget to make an appointment with your pet’s veterinarian today. They’ll be glad to see you. And your pet will be all the better for it. 
