• Cats and dogs can get pregnant as early as 4 months old
• 30% of households own a cat or dog
• Average number of kittens in a litter: 4-6
• Average number of puppies in a litter: 6-10
• Cats & dogs can have a litter 3-4 times a year

The Don't Litter campaign is the Angel's Wish effort to encourage spaying/neutering through education about pet overpopulation.

Too Many Animals, Not Enough Homes

The overpopulation of animals is an issue each of us must face daily. Every day 10,000 humans are born and 70,000 cats and dogs are born. Each day approximately 22,000 cats and dogs are euthanized. To end the homelessness of cats and dogs, each man, woman, and child would need to adopt 7 animals each. That would mean a family of 4 would have 28 animals!!

Many people think they'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens

For every cat or dog born, 31 are euthanized. The number humanely destroyed does not include those who are shot, run over, killed by another animal, used for dog fighting bait, sold to research, abused and tortured to death by humans, or starved to death. Not every animal will find a good home, even if those in one litter did! Every home you find for a kitten or puppy is one less home for homeless pets in our community.

People want their children to experience the miracle of birth

Birth usually occurs at night and in seclusion. The real miracle of life is preventing the birth of some pets so the lives of others can be saved. Foster a pregnant animal. Fostering offers a great opportunity to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Please...spay or neuter your pet!

Here are just a few benefits of spaying or neutering your pet.

• Increase the opportunity for a healthier pet by reducing or eliminating the risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian and/or uterine cancer, prostate disease, and testicular cancer
• Reduce the number of unwanted cats and dogs
• Increase the desire for the pet to stay at home and not roam
• Reduce aggressive and territorial behavior
• Increase your bonding time by eliminating the mating behavior – crying and howling incessantly, spraying, attempting to run out the door

Most of us believe pet overpopulation is only a problem for those who work with rescue organizations or humane societies. This is simply not true.

Use of Tax Dollars

Your tax dollars are used to capture and house stray cats & dogs, to file reports of bite cases, to investigate neglect and cruelty cases, and to euthanize the surplus. These are costly services.

Traffic Accidents

Strays cost us in traffic accidents, the cost of scraping their bodies off the highways and roadways of our cities, the physical harm of bites and diseases that are spread, and livestock losses from packs of feral dogs.

Other Expenditures

Other expenditures that are made and not included in the amounts shown previously include the following:

• State prosecution of abuse, neglect, and cruelty cases
• State and county costs to incarcerate the offender
• State and county costs to rehabilitate the offender
• To support the family should the offender be the main breadwinner

The overpopulation is in everyone's backyard and in everyone's pocketbook. It's a problem that needs a community solution.

There are many ways to help control the pet population

• Spay or neuter your pet
• Adopt a rescue animal
• Foster cats and dogs
• Donate money
• Sponsor a spay or neuter of a rescue animal
• Encourage others to spay and neuter

Fostering: What is it?

Fostering is taking a needy cat, kitten, dog or puppy temporarily into your home. You would ensure they had the care and love until they were placed in a permanent home.

By taking in the animals that need your help rather than allowing your own to have a litter or two, you become part of the solution to the pet overpopulation problem.

Foster families are needed

Angel's Wish regularly needs help with cats and dogs of all ages and needs. Some animals may be those whose owners are moving away or whose owners have died. Kittens and puppies from an unspayed mama need a secure, clean, and loving place to stay until they're old enough to be adopted. We also have strays that need our help.

An opportunity for everyone

Fostering is an opportunity for everyone to "do the right" thing for the homeless animals. It's a good way to learn about animal care and to teach youngsters about compassion and responsibility. Young students have found fostering a great way to earn community service credits toward their education. Find out more about fostering here.

• Early Spay/Neuter Research on Dogs and Cats (8-12 Weeks) (PDF)
• Spay/Neuter Information Links