Spay Day USA photo competition winners announced

Earlier this month, we encouraged people to spay or neuter their pets because of the many benefits to both pets and people. In that article, we mentioned the Humane Society Spay Day USA pet photo competition.

The winners of that competition have been announced - click here to see the Grand Finalist and enjoy the other top ranked photos in the competition, there are some great action shots and more than one scored off the chart for cuteness - this one finalist's goofy grin made us smile!

Spay Day USA is a HSUS initiative targeted at reducing pet overpopulation (and, less directly, the shelter overcrowding that results from too many strays). Since its inception in 1995, more than one million animals have been spayed or neutered because of Spay Day USA.

How Spaying or Neutering helps reduce "disposable pets"

Wouldn't you love to live in a world where there was a loving, lifetime home for every animal in a shelter? We certainly would! But right now, according to the Humane Society of the US, pet overpopulation is a bigger issue than most people think.

Between 6 and 8 million dogs and cats enter a shelter every year, and only about half of those actually find a home. The rest are euthanized. These aren't just street strays, a full quarter of dogs in shelters are pure bred!

By spaying or neutering your pet, you can have an impact on pet over population and also on your pet's health! And let's be honest - it's not that much fun to have to endure the nightly caterwauling of a Siamese cat in heat, or to handle all those amorous neighborhood dogs when walking your pooch when she's "in the mood".

Remember too, that pet overpopulation isn't limited to dogs and cats - we know from personal experience how fast two rabbits can become twenty (true story!) - and how hard it can be to find homes for your pet's litter.

If you are concerned about cost, the HSUS notes that "Humane societies work with veterinarians to offer subsidized and affordable spay and neuter services" - so your pet can have the best possible care for the lowest possible cost.

You can download a fact sheet by the ASPCA on spaying and neutering from the Companions for Life website in English or Spanish.

And last but not least, why not enter your pet into the HSUS Spay Day USA Photo Contest? It's a great way to win prizes as well as spreading the message about the benefits of spaying or neutering pets!