Veterinary Professionals A Call to Participate in World Spay Day 2012
December 27, 2011
February 28 marks the official World Spay Day 2012, but in practice, the event will be celebrated throughout the month of February, which is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.
World Spay Day is an annual campaign of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Humane Society International (HSI). Begun in 1995, it aims to encourage people to save animal lives by spaying or neutering companion animals and feral cats. In 2010, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) became a third organizational partner of Spay Day, inspiring veterinary professionals around the world to participate in this impressive global veterinary medical effort.
In 2011, across the United States, event organizers reported nearly 42,000 dogs, cats and rabbits were sterilized in conjunction with Spay Day. Nationwide, more than 600 events were organized with local shelters, spay/neuter clinics, private practice veterinarians and veterinary schools providing spay/neuter services. But Spay Day also crossed our borders. Internationally, 89 events were hosted across 45 countries, and Spay Day has now been re-named World Spay Day to acknowledge the participation of our colleagues worldwide.
Oregon State University veterinary students prep cats for spay surgery during a Spay Day 2011 event. Katie Campbell
Last year, HSVMA sponsored Spay Day events at Wisconsin’s Madison Area Technical College and Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine. These and similar future events support the education of veterinary students and veterinary technician students, who are the future of our profession, and benefit both the animals and the human communities. By involving students in these spay/neuter events we stimulate their interest and increase their knowledge base and their ability to effectively advocate for the benefits of spay/neuter. They often serve as valuable community resources as they begin to practice professionally.
There are many ways veterinary professionals can get involved in World Spay Day, including:
- Get tips for organizing a World Spay Day event and learn what happens behind the scenes.
- Form or join a coalition of local colleagues and hold a city, county, or statewide World Spay Day event.
- Offer special discounts on spay/neuter surgeries on World Spay Day (February 28) or during part or all of Spay/Neuter Awareness Month (February).
- Promote your Spay Day event; personalize our poster and make copies for your clinic
8.5" x 11" poster | 11" x 17" poster
- Discuss the importance of spay/neuter with clients whose pets are still intact and promote the benefits of early-age sterilization.
- Distribute information about World Spay Day and the importance of spay/neuter to clients (the World Spay Day Store will open in January).
- Make the following helpful videos available to your clients (HSVMA members can request a copy of these videos on CD along with other spay/neuter promotional items):
- Find a Spay Day event near you (US | International) and ask to join the event team.
- Contact your local animal shelter and volunteer to spay or neuter a certain number of adoptable animals at no charge. Ask the shelter to provide the animals’ adopters with your business card for follow-up healthcare visits. You can find your local shelters on The Shelter Pet Project website.
Visit the World Spay Day website for more ideas about how to organize an event or to get involved with an event in your area.
Many thanks in advance to our members, colleagues and friends in the US and abroad for your interest in, support of, and participation in World Spay Day 2012.
|