Fighting Pet Overpopulation: The Spay Station is Back On the Road!

Fighting Pet Overpopulation

Pasado's Spay Stations offer spaying and neutering services at low cost of free to those who qualify

Every year in the United States, 3.7 million cats and dogs lose their lives. But they aren’t dying from illness or injury –because of the growing pet overpopulation problem, they are being euthanized in shelters in record numbers.   The leading cause of death for cats and dogs in the United States isn’t illness or injury…it’s shelter euthanasia. In Washington State alone, more than 60,000 cats and dogs are euthanized annually. Eight million cats and dogs enter U.S. shelters every year. Nationwide, 3.7 million companions are euthanized; nearly half do not walk out of the shelter alive. We cannot allow this alarming trend to continue. As stewards of our companion animals, we must ask ourselves…Are we really doing the best that we can for our companions?

Each puppy or kitten that is purchased can mean that one more shelter animal won’t make it out alive

Reasons for Pet Overpopulation

Nationwide, shelters make the difficult choice to euthanize thousands of companion animals every day. Pet overpopulation is a severe problem in the United States and occurs due to a myriad of factors. Each factor traces back to human apathy and irresponsibility. Despite increased public awareness over the past four decades about the importance of spaying and neutering pets, 35 percent of U.S. pet owners still choose to leave their pets unaltered. Many who don’t alter their pets intentionally breed their pets for profit or to experience the “miracle of life.” But that “miracle” is tempered by the deaths of thousands of animals whose owners selfishly made this same choice. Other owners choose not to spay or neuter out of ignorance or carelessness, believing that their pets won’t breed – but they do. Unaltered dogs will break through screens, chew leashes, jump or dig under 6-foot fences, or even mate through a chain link fence. Unaltered cats will go to similar lengths for the opportunity to mate, because the desire to procreate is relentless in an unaltered animal.

Irresponsible Breeding

There is no excuse for an “accidental” litter. Puppies and kittens can be safely spayed or neutered at 8 weeks of age, prior to sexual maturity. Spaying and neutering not only helps fight pet overpopulation, it also reduces the risk of certain cancers, decreases the desire to roam away from home, and reduces or eliminates the risk of spraying or marking. Altered animals live longer, happier, healthier lives.

Many who allow their animals to breed mistakenly think that it’s healthy for their pet to have “just one litter” – but when thousands of pet owners make this same mistake, companion animals pay the price. Similarly, many who breed their pets believe that they aren’t contributing to the pet overpopulation problem because they intend to find homes for each puppy or kitten. What they don’t realize is that each puppy or kitten they sell means one more shelter animal who won’t make it out alive. Many of those “intentionally bred” puppies and kittens end up in shelters at some point in their lives, where they, too, face euthanasia. There are approximately 163 million pet cats and dogs in the United States, and at some point in their lives, at least one out of every 20 will find themselves in a shelter each year.

Adopt and save a life!

Adopt and save a life. Don’t buy.

While there are more than enough homes to adopt all of these pets, too few people choose to adopt from shelters. Seventeen million Americans purchase a new pet every year – more than double the number of animals who enter shelters annually. Only 20 percent of pet owners choose shelter adoption, while the majority go to pet stores, breeders, friends, or neighbors. And where are pet stores receiving their puppies? From puppy mills who make their dogs live in cramped, filthy cages, unable to exercise or socialize, and breeding without end.

People who acquire pets from friends, neighbors, or internet ads for free animals also contribute to pet overpopulation by creating demand for irresponsible breeding. Enabling owners to have a profitable or guilt-free way to dispose of their animals often leads to repeat offenses. These pets are rarely altered, perpetuating the pet overpopulation problem.

Adoption is a two-fold fight against pet overpopulation: you save the life of the animal who was adopted, and your adoption fee provides for the next pet who comes to that shelter. Sadly, shelters across the country are filled to capacity, receiving large numbers of owner-relinquished or stray, unidentifiable animals every year. Amazingly, the owner reclaim rate for a stray dog is less than 50 percent, and for cats, the rate is less than 10 percent. These animals are likely to die waiting for families who never came to find them.

Pets are family

Pets are family members who provide unconditional love, support, and companionship, so it is unthinkable that they are dumped for reasons like moving, not enough time, or a new baby in the home. Pets are lifelong responsibilities who will provide a lifetime of love, but pet owners have to think carefully about pet ownership before adoption.

Pasado’s Safe Haven is dedicated to finding new and vigorous methods to reduce pet overpopulation. We sponsor two Spay Stations, the first mobile spay/neuter clinics in Washington State. These state-of-the-art clinics on wheels provide free spay/neuter services to pets in low-income homes, where most unwanted litters of dogs and cats are born.

Pasado’s receives a grant to perform 3500 spays and neuters!

The Gary E. Milgard Family Foundation has generously granted Pasado's the funds to perform spay and neuter services for one year!

Until recently, one of our Spay Stations was closed due to a lack of funding. Thanks to a grant from the Gary E. Milgard Family Foundation, we have funding to sponsor the Spay Station in Pierce County, WA, for one full year! This equates to 3500 spays and neuters at low cost or free of charge to anyone on public assistance. Because of the Gary E. Milgard Family Foundation’s generosity, Pasado’s can help tackle the pet overpopulation problem, preventing the suffering of countless animals in Pierce County. We cannot thank the Milgards enough for their generous support of animals in Washington State.

Join us as we relaunch the Spay Station!

Pasado’s is proudly sponsoring a spay and neuter campaign in Pierce County called “Get Fixed! Prevent a Litter, Fix Your Critter!” To kick off this project and campaign and to celebrate the Spay Station’s return to the road, we’re having a party on February 22nd, which is also Spay Day USA! The party will take place at Lakewood City Hall beginning at 11:30 a.m. At noon there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony, raffles, and door prizes. Twenty free spay and neuter vouchers will also be given away. Some of Pasado’s adoptable dogs will be on-site to partake in the festivities and we will also announce our schedule in Pierce County.

Pasado’s other Spay Station was being used by our partners in Whatcom County, WeSNIP works hard to control the number of animals being euthanized in their local shelters, by spaying and neutering as many dogs and cats as possible.  Due to the economy Pasado’s was unable to continue funding the Spay Station in Whatcom/Skagit County.  WeSNIP worked very hard to continue utilizing the Spay Station, however due to financial constraints they have returned our Spay Station and will be working on a limited basis out of a new location in Bellingham.

Pasado’s Safe Haven is currently seeking funding for Spay Station II to get back on the road.  If you know of a company, philanthropic organization, or foundation that loves animals, and would like to save lives through aggressive spay and neuter efforts, PLEASE refer them to us.

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From all of the animals at Pasado’s Safe Haven and at shelters nationwide – thank you for your support. With one click of the mouse, you truly can help save a life.