Actors and Others Sterilizes Over 900 Cats

Overwhelming response leads to more than double the amount of spay/neuter surgeries

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Actors and Others for Animals' recent commitment to provide 400 free spay and neuter surgeries for pet cats of Los Angeles County residents as part of the 16th Annual Spay Day was so well received that nearly 1,000 people registered to receive a voucher.

With an initial investment of $20,000 to meet a goal to provide spay/neuter surgeries for 400 cats, Actors and Others in the end allotted over $49,000 to this program due to the overwhelming demand.  Working with ten participating veterinary clinics, 987 free spay/neuter vouchers were provided – 366 for male cats, 589 for females and 32 to those who were unable to determine their cat's sex.  Actors and Others calculates that this targeted and proactive program eliminated the births of thousands of unwanted kittens from just one heat cycle alone.

"Our objective in offering this special program was to help cat lovers with the rising cost of veterinary fees while at the same time reducing the number of unwanted cats that are killed in local shelters during kitten season," remarks Executive Director Susan Taylor.  "Kitten season" is the term to describe the time of year when cats give birth, flooding animal shelters across the nation with homeless litters.  In sunny California, kitten season begins as early as February when warm weather coincides with the female cats' heat cycle and typically lasts until November.  Cats can begin reproducing as young as four months and can have two to four litters a year.

Like all of Actors and Others spay/neuter services, the ultimate aim of this program was to encourage financially challenged cat guardians to get their pets spayed/neutered to stop the cycle of producing unwanted cats.  In the United States, nearly twice as many cats than dogs are killed in local animal shelters each year.

This special program was supported in part by a grant from the California Community Foundation and the PETCO Foundation as well as donations provided by supporters who believe in Actors and Others' mission to end pet overpopulation through spay/neuter.

SOURCE Actors and Others for Animals