TabbyGrayson and RightyPandaHarrySmokeySplash and SparkyThese are some who have passed both into and out of our care. If you don’t want to be directly involved donations are always welcome. AmazonWalmart
World Spay Day annually aims to decrease stray pet populations by increasing awareness of the importance of spaying and neutering programs. Around the world, a variety of effective programs reduce stray populations. These programs target both strays in neighborhoods and in shelters.
Through education, spay and neuter programs in shelters raise awareness prior to the adoption of cats and dogs. In neighborhood programs, spay and neuter programs effectively reduce stray populations over the long term with the help of the community. These types of programs are especially effective where feral cat populations exist. Since feral cats cannot be domesticated, spaying and neutering in the communities where they live to offer the most humane way to reduce the population.
Other programs may be offered through veterinarian clinics and communities, too. The observance offers an opportunity for programs to highlight the benefits of spaying and neutering and increase support for their individual programs.
In my area of Northwest Florida you can not only treat your personal pet to these health benefits, we participate with Santa Rosa Annimal Services for Community Cats Day. There are also several organizations that offer low cost spay/neuter as well. There are quite a few in Escambia County, Florida as well. Check with your local resources and help keep Community ferals under population control.
This not only prevents unwanted litters being born but helps reduce health conditions and overall health of outside pets. We practice TNR on our Community cat colony, so learn, teach and share the knowledge. You can catch some of the cat antics on our YouTube channel as well.
WORLD SPAY DAY HISTORY
Doris Day Animal League founded Spay Day USA in 1994 to bring attention to the pet overpopulation problem in the United States and encourage animal population control by neutering pets. The movement later spread globally and is now known as World Spay Day.
HOW TO OBSERVE WORLD SPAY DAY
Support a spay and neuter program in your area.
Host a fundraiser or approach your community leaders to create a program in your town.
Learn more about the importance of spaying and neutering.
Ask your veterinarian questions or volunteer at your local shelter.
February is more than just a month for chilly weather and heartfelt valentines; it’s also Spay and Neuter Awareness Month.
While there is nothing cuter than puppies and kittens, Valentine’s is coming, by contrast it is heartbreaking to watch them homeless, starving and worse. This dedicated time serves as a crucial reminder of the profound impact that responsible pet sterilization has on animal welfare, community safety, and shelter overpopulation. My husband has a font of feral abandoned cats that nobody wants. They were born into this world through no fault of their own. Half die before becoming adults. We work with our shelter to bring awareness of things like TNR programs to friends and neighbors. We also participate with ferals who wander our way. We have altered more than 20 community cats that wander by here. That is definitely the result of my husbands dilligence. By choosing to spay (for females) or neuter (for males), pet owners can directly prevent the birth of unwanted litters, improve their companion’s health, and contribute to a larger solution for homeless animals. This month challenges us all to shift from viewing these procedures as a mere option to understanding them as a fundamental pillar of responsible pet ownership.
The push for widespread spaying and neutering is a relatively modern chapter in our history with companion animals. For much of human history, pet population was uncontrolled, leading to staggering numbers of stray and feral animals. The organized movement gained significant momentum in the 1970s, alongside the rise of animal welfare advocacy. Early spay/neuter campaigns were often grassroots efforts by shelters overwhelmed by intake numbers. The formal establishment of Spay and Neuter Awareness Month itself grew from these efforts, aiming to create a unified, national platform for education. Landmark legislation, like the 1993 “Davis Law” in California requiring subsidized sterilization for adopted shelter animals, highlighted the growing recognition of sterilization as a public policy imperative for community health.
Tom & AlfieTomTom & ButtonTom & CarmelHarry, Caramel, Alfie & BlackieTom Alfie, Harry, Carmel and BlackieGoldie (The Original)MissyPandaMonteButton, Sparkle, & GreysonSplashWe had to start giving them names to identify who we are talking about…
Observing Spay and Neuter Awareness Month can take many forms, starting with personal action. If you have an unaltered pet, schedule a consultation with your veterinarian. For those looking to adopt, make “already spayed/neutered” a non-negotiable requirement. Advocacy is equally powerful: use social media to share facts, dispel myths, and spotlight local low-cost clinics or shelter fundraising campaigns. Donating to organizations that provide subsidized surgeries or sponsoring a procedure for a neighbor in need are direct ways to create change. Finally, education is key—simply talking to friends and family about the benefits, which include reduced risks of certain cancers and behavioral issues, can inspire a ripple effect of responsible decisions.
Beyond individual pet health, the community-wide benefits are undeniable. Spaying and neutering is the most humane and effective method to reduce the number of animals entering overcrowded shelters, where many face euthanasia due to lack of space and resources. It also addresses public health concerns by reducing stray populations, which can lead to fewer incidents of bites, traffic accidents, and the spread of disease. Every single procedure helps break the cycle of overpopulation, meaning fewer animals suffer from neglect, hunger, and exposure on the streets.
As Spay and Neuter Awareness Month unfolds, let’s commit to being part of the solution. Whether through a personal pledge, a social media post, or a donation, each action contributes to a future where every pet is wanted and cared for. This February, honor the bond we share with our animal companions by choosing compassion and responsibility. Together, we can ensure more pets live long, healthy lives in loving homes, and move steadily toward the goal of a truly no-kill nation.
National Dress Up Your Pet Day on January 14th provides a special day to celebrate with your pet and show off their fashion style. Pets do become part of one’s family. Whether you take a visit to the groomer or take it a step further and dress up in matching outfits, be sure your pet companion is safe and comfortable.
The name of the day tells you how to celebrate it; dress your pets up! Keep your pet’s comfort first and foremost. A visit to the groomer for a bit of polish and trim always improves our pet companion’s appearance. Get a snazzy bandana, bow, or collar to show off the fresh do. How about a sweater for chilly, long walks? If the tutu is too, too much, your pooch will let you know. Be sure to share your favorite pet poses with us. Use #DressUpYourPetDay to post on social media.
Each year on January 10th, Save the Eagles Day reminds us of the majestic raptors that soar above the Earth – whether they are well populated or endangered. Due to the work of scientists and the public, the bald eagle was removed from this list in June 2007. Poaching, pesticides, and other dangers continue to threaten eagle populations.
While the day started as a way to save a specific pair of bald eagles and to raise awareness about the species, the observance has grown to encompass all species of eagles. Approximately 60 species of eagles populate the world. Most of the species are found in Eurasia and Africa. North, Central, and South America and Australia only account for about 14 species. However, no eagles are found in Hawaii. The most common species in North America are the bald and golden eagles.
Eagles are powerful birds of prey. An eagle’s sharp sense of sight paired with powerful muscles, piercing talons, and beak, make them primed for the hunt. They are also monogamous, mating for life.
SAVE THE EAGLES DAY HISTORY
In 2015, Save the Eagles Day originated in the Village of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. The day is the result of an effort to save a pair of nesting bald eagles near the community. Late in 2014, Skymark Development Corp of Paramus brought a study forth arguing that a landfill near where the eagles nested posed health risks. The nesting pair, fondly named Alice and Al, had nested along Overpeck Creek since at least 2011. When the developer proposed a solution that included removing the tree the eagles nested in, the community and the Bergen County Audubon Society organized Save the Eagles Day on January 10, 2015.
Eventually, an agreement was formed to preserve an area of the land as an eagle park. Alice and Al continued to live out their days in Ridgefield Park and fly over the residents there. Read more about the environmental success of the area and about Alice and Al.
Learn more about eagles. Watch documentaries or read about them. Visit an aviary or a bird sanctuary. We have provided a couple of books to review, too. Participate in preservation and conservation in your area, too.
Every year on December 14th National Monkey Day celebrates unique characteristics of simians. The day also focuses on other non-human primates such as apes, tarsiers, and lemurs.
Monkeys, also referred to as simians, live all over the world. More than 260 species of monkeys populate Africa, Central America, South America and Asia. They range in size from mere ounces like the pygmy marmoset to the mandrill at a heavier 80 pounds and tend to walk on all four limbs. As a member of the primate family, they are considered a lesser ape. Most monkeys have a tail, though not all do. Monkeys are divided into two categories – Old World monkeys and New World monkeys.
These sometimes adorable creatures are indeed still wild animals. You should not attempt to get one as a pet as it is prohibited in many places. The exotic pet trades, circuses, and research industries are cruel to these animals. Their safety and health can be compromised in order to maximize profits. If you can and do adopt one please remember they are indeed wild animals.
Their personalities and habits capture the attention of humans on many levels. These intelligent animals with opposable thumbs live in family groups, too. However, many species of monkeys are endangered.
A Michigan State University art student, Casey Sorrow, created National Monkey Day when he wrote Monkey Day on his friend’s calendar. A celebration followed and grew.
Please be aware if you come across wild feral monkies there are reasons to leave them alone. They can bite, causing harm to both other animals and people. Those in Silver Springs State Park, some have tested positive for rabies and other diseases.
Feral rhesus macaques are wild troupes of the rhesus macaque released by researchers, zoos, or private owners, that have been able to survive and propagate in several places in the United States.
Silver Springs State Park Florida
A colony of rhesus macaques was established around Silver Springs in Florida around the spring of 1938. The monkeys were released by tour boat operator Colonel Tooey to enhance his Jungle Cruise ride. A traditional story that the monkeys were released for scenery enhancement in the Tarzan movies that were filmed at that location is false, as the only Tarzan movie filmed in the area, 1939’s Tarzan Finds a Son! contains no rhesus macaques, in part because of the species’ bad temperament.The monkeys continue to thrive along the Silver River to this day. wikipedia source
Discover more about these fascinating primates. Learn about monkeys who live through all kinds of weather in Nature’s Snow Monkeys. Disney’s documentary Monkey Kingdom about the monkeys of South Asia follows a family and the shows us the social hierarchy that exists among the community.
Read about monkeys and their habitats. Children’s books that teach them about monkeys include:
