This article is written by Mickey Zeldes, director of the RP Animal Shelter,
and appears in Rohnert Park Patch.com





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This year’s World Spay Day falls on Tuesday, Feb. 28 — which is very apropos since it falls on the day of our monthly "fix-it clinic." So coincidentally, we are participating in this global day promoting spay and neuter of pet animals. Personally, I feel that every day is spay day and we do what we can year-round to promote this important concept.
Spay Day USA started in 1995 by what was then called the Doris Day Animal League (now the Doris Day Animal Foundation). It has since joined forces with the Humane Society of the United States and more recently with the Humane Society International to expand the focus of pet overpopulation and the need to encourage spaying and neutering of our companion animals.
I’m not sure if it’s nice to know that America is not alone with the problem of too many dogs and cats or if it’s overwhelming to think of it as a global problem. It’s easy to understand how poor countries put animal welfare and “luxury” items such as spaying and neutering animals further down on the list under necessary items such as food, water and basic shelter. What is our excuse?
It’s also both interesting and frustrating to note that we’ve been touting the message of spay and neuter since 1995 (actually from way before that but this event helped to formalized it) and that we’re still hammering away with it. The way we’ve said it has changed over the years — every angle has been taken. There are those who think it's most effective to get the public’s attention with guilt, “pick one, the other 9 will die” shouts one poster showing ten cute kittens. There’s been the very graphic ad showing barrels of dead animals and a headline screaming “if your pet’s not fixed, it’s your fault.” Then there are the cute slogans “neuter is cuter,” “is your dog a tramp?” and “it’s 11:00 pm, do you know where your cat is?.”
A really good bumper sticker says “if you feed if a stray, then neuter and spay” meaning otherwise you’ll end up feeding many more. That’s a good message and it’s directed to those good-hearted people who want to help but aren’t quite doing the whole job. I personally prefer a softer approach that doesn’t attack, although guilt can be a powerful motivator. Many people are turned off by the hard to look at graphics so they stop looking.
We just try to offer the service at the most affordable price we can. Right now and for the past year we’ve been able to do cats for free and dogs for just $60, so that no one can say that they didn’t have it done for financial reasons.
Support for this program is always appreciated. Call me at 707-584-3057 for information about sponsoring a fix-it clinic. These monthly clinics are an on-going project of the Rohnert Park Animal Shelter and the City of Rohnert Park and are offered to low-income residents of Rohnert Park and Cotati.
Flyers are available at the shelter if you can post one at your place of work or in your neighborhood. We’re hoping to do even more than our usual number this month to show our support and participation in World Spay Day. Won’t you help us by spreading the word?