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Tobiyah Says:
Be Part of the Solution
graphic courtesy of The Dog Hause 		Stop Pet Overpopulation
The Problem | The Solution
© 1999, 2000 by Elizabeth Drain Harden

Companion Animal Overpopulation - A Multiplication Problem

To help reluctant dog owners understand the implications of failing to spay or neuter their dogs, consider the following example: Suppose you acquire one male and one female dog in January 2000 and do not have either dog sterilized. In June, the female gives birth to two puppies (a low estimate), one male and one female. You now have four dogs. In December, the two female dogs each give birth to two more puppies of each sex, bringing your total to eight dogs. Assume that each female dog gives birth to a puppy of each sex every six months. By January 2005, how many dogs will you have? Let's do the math:

Mon/Yr # of Females # of Puppies Total # of Dogs
Jan 2000 1 - 2
Jun 2000 1 2 4
Dec 2000 2 4 8
Jun 2001 4 8 16
Dec 2001 8 16 32
Jun 2002 16 32 64
Dec 2002 32 64 128
Jun 2003 64 128 256
Dec 2003 128 256 512
Jun 2004 256 512 1024
Dec 2004 512 1024 2048
Jan 2005 1024 - 2048

In five years, you've gone from 2 dogs to 2048 dogs!

The bottom line is that pets multiply faster than pet owners. There simply are not enough homes available for the number of animals that exist. If you do not believe me, please visit your local shelter and see for yourself. The avoidable result is that the "excess" animals die, whether through euthanasia, neglect, or abandonment.

If you desire more information on companion animal overpopulation, consult the following sites (as well as those of the animal welfare organizations linked to my previous page):

paw print SPAY/USA paw print Friends of Animals
Both of these organizations provide referrals for low-cost spaying or neutering.

Stop Abuse - Don't Litter

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So... what can you do?
Support Spay/Neuter
  1. Obtain your pet from a reputable breeder, a rescue organization, or an animal shelter--not from a pet store [here's why].
  2. The most obvious thing is to have your pet spayed or neutered.
  3. If you have a web page, show your support of the issue by adding a graphic. You can download graphics from the sites linked to the graphics to the left and right or the one cited at the top of the page.
  4. Help publicize the issue by supporting the campaigns listed below. (They're all easy things that you can do.)
Support Spay/Neuter

paw print Pet Overpopulation Stamp Out - Write a letter in support of the spay/neuter U.S. postage stamp now being considered. Send your letter to:

William J. Henderson, Postmaster General
c/o Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
United States Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4474E
Washington, DC 20260-2437
Note: The "Help 'Stamp Out' Pet Overpopulation" graphic displayed (in a modified form) on my tips page is available from Pawprints and Purrs.

paw print Stick It to 'Em - Create address or other labels stating your support of spay/neuter, and the spay/neuter postage stamp in particular, and use them for your correspondence. Note: This site is the source of the "Stick It to 'Em" graphic that my master altered and linked to the Stamp Out site on my home page.

paw print Write Oprah - Write a letter to Oprah Winfrey suggesting that she do a show on pet overpopulation and responsible pet ownership. Send your letter to:

Oprah Winfrey Show Ideas
P.O. Box 909715
Chicago, IL 60690

paw print Action Cat's Speak Out for Animals - Write letters in support of animal welfare; this page gives ideas and addresses.

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e-mail If you discover a nonfunctional link or other error on this page, or if you have any other comments or questions, please e-mail my master at EDHarden@juno.com or sign my master's guestbook.

This page was last updated on 9/7/00.

© 1999, 2000 by Elizabeth Drain Harden
[do not copy any material from this page without first obtaining my master's permission]

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