PETA Says Annual Intake Numbers Released Today Show Need for Mandatory State Spay-and-Neuter Laws

Governors Asked to Take Action to Help End Animal Homelessness Crisis

NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Before its annual filing with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA is calling on Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell — and all other state governors — to take strong action to end the animal homelessness crisis by supporting mandatory spay-and-neuter legislation. PETA's goal is to help reduce the number of cats and dogs who are "thrown away" by cash-strapped and uncaring people. While referring most adoptable animals to traditional shelters that experience a lot of foot traffic, PETA's "shelter of last resort" continues to take in unwanted animals. PETA also provides low- to no-cost spay and neuter surgeries, emergency veterinary care, and free euthanasia services to impoverished communities in Southern Virginia and North Carolina. In poor areas, residents often can't afford to provide basic necessities for their families, and low-cost veterinary care often does not exist. In fact, in some communities, no veterinary care is available.

In 2009, PETA spayed or neutered 8,677 animals and euthanized 2,352 injured, ill, and homeless domestic animals. The group also provided free veterinary care to indigent owners' animals. Nationwide, animal shelter intake numbers hover at nearly 8 million dogs and cats — and half of these animals are now euthanized because of illness, injury, or a lack of good homes.

"We need new laws that address the heartbreaking fact that so many dogs and cats are left to languish when injury, illness, or old age overtakes them," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "Our case photographs show that for abused and neglected animals, day-to-day life can be a fate worse than death."

Laws that mandate the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats would prevent large numbers of animals from being born and then abused, neglected, or abandoned, and they would also reduce the number of euthanized animals.

For more information, please visit PETA's blog.

SOURCE People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)