You know what we love? Removing the reproductive organs of animals for their own good. Which is why we love World Spay Day, which takes place on the fourth Tuesday in February — February 25 this year! It might sound harsh, but the truth is, failing to spay and neuter dogs and cats is responsible for millions of unwanted animals living on the streets without homes or food or being killed in shelters all over the world. So while it might make you twinge to think of a day celebrating animal sterilization, the truth is, the pain of putting all those animals down is far harsher.
World Spay Day timeline
Spaying and neutering becomes widely accessible for cats and dogs.
The first affordable spaying clinic opens in Los Angeles.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals makes sterilization for all adopted animals a requirement.
Shelters became overpopulated with strays, with euthanasia rates peaking.
How to Observe World Spay Day
Call 1-800-248-SPAY
Even animal rights organizations like PETA are pro animal sterilization, and have set up a hotline to help you find your nearest low-cost spay and neuter clinic.
Celebrate your pets’ neutering
Getting your pet neutered or spayed means there’ll be no more aggression or urine marking. There’ll be less roaming, fighting, and moodiness. In exchange, your companions will also likely become more interested in you, instead of finding a mate. And they’ll still protect you and your family. It's a party!
Tell your stupid friends about it
If you have friends who talk about wanting to leave their pets “intact”, tell them they’re just stupid, okay? And take some of our key facts about spaying and neutering, to show them why.
Why World Spay Day is Important
It all started with Doris Day
Naming a festival aimed at removing the testes and ovaries of animals after a legendary performer seems…like a stretch. But in 1978 Doris Day founded her Animal Foundation, which in turn, founded Spay Day USA in 1995 to help eliminate the problem of homeless pets.
Because it saves millions of animals’ lives
At least three million adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized in the U.S. each year because they don’t have homes — numbers largely attributable to unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering. Spaying and neutering can also reduce the incidence of some of the most common types of cat and dog cancers.
Because it makes more room in shelters
Even if you could, in theory, find loving homes for the puppies and kittens your animals might produce, there’ll still be fewer homes for puppies and kittens already in animal shelters. And that means they’re more likely to be killed. This is a day that really draws attention to the importance of not being super selfish when it comes to watching your pets experience the miracle of birth!
World Spay Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | February 23 | Tuesday |
| 2022 | February 22 | Tuesday |
| 2023 | February 28 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | February 27 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | February 25 | Tuesday |
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