World Spay Day is an annual campaign of The HSUS, Humane Society International and the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. On the last Tuesday of every February, World Spay Day shines a spotlight on the power of affordable, accessible spay/neuter to save the lives of companion animals, community (feral and stray) cats, and street dogs who might otherwise be put down in shelters or killed on the street.
The event first started as Spay Day USA, an annual event created by the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) in 1995, to promote spays and neuters across the country to help eliminate the problem of homeless pets. After the DDAL’s merger with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in 2006, the tradition continued under the auspices of the HSUS as World Spay Day.
The Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF) reports that since 2008, they have granted HSUS $385,000 for spays and neuters of 9,421 animals in 39 states: 6388 cats, 3007 dogs, and 26 rabbits. Many other organizations and individuals worldwide provide financial support, volunteer and participate in fundraising activities to promote World Spay Day.
In 2014, 700 World Spay Day events were held in 41 countries, including all 50 U.S. states.
