spayneuter

For all the mommas you are about to help take out of the puppy and kitten makin' biz,

That goes for potential pappas too, those girls aren't out there gettin' prego all by their lonesomes.

Thanks go to Helen for sending the critter with message idea and Sue for doing the text work. Grab it for your own page or use in e-mail.

One message anyone can spread (start with friends and family, you'll soon graduate to strangers): Finding homes for litters you did nothing to prevent eliminates homes for others. For each so-called responsible placement, one more shelter animal will die.

In other words, those who allow "accidents" to happen are killers. Second-hand? What's the difference? Dead is dead.

These links will take you to a wide variety of spay/neuter message graphics on printable pages. Hopefully each page will print as they appear on screen, usually three to a page. Some offer a choice of sizes and I'll be happy to customize by combo arrangements, adding logos, messages and/or just about anything to take best advantage of your printing space requirements.

More on the way shortly - check back often. Use back button to return here (no link back), didn't want any extra text to interfere. Can't do anything about the ID info showing up.

Certain messages are ... shall we say ... point blank. In other words, if all the word balls brings to mind is sports, you may be in for a little shock. Different streets for different feets, whatever it takes to get through thick skulls so desperately in need of education. Rather like a two by four upside the head. Way too many people still believe "one litter will calm her down." Right, there's the height of tranquil bliss, surrounded by a pack of whining brats. Miss Liberty, ME (Mutt Extraordinaire), has more to say on the subject here: http://www.therealmartha.com/puppiesaresocu/index.htm

Most simply put, even though there has been a teeny, itty-bitty bit of awareness progress, kill statistics in public pounds and shelters are still staggering to the stage of sickening.

Huge thanks to all who have already contributed ideas and art - see more (and meet the Shelter Sweeties): http://www.therealmartha.com/adopt/index.htm and latest pages, links below.

Those (graphics on adopt page) are the earliest attempts. If I do say so myself, they're not bad but the rest are better. Take one, take all - do the right click thing to save to your own files for whatever use you like. Various ideas for printing are stickers (like address labels, to put on bills you're paying - what a hoot it'd be to see the reaction when opened!), buttons (blanks available at most craft stores), biz card size to leave stacks around wherever or flyers for handing out/putting on windshields/bulletin boards.

Most pages should be OK to print as is, but each printer is different. Don't hesitate to ask for help with sizing - I can adjust.

Real critter pics are the best, mainly because they attract the most attention and won't be found just any old place. A little background funny on Misha, the determined, aloof, irritable, all rolled up into one (cat smart page - Kittens? Me?): from Kate who sent it when I asked for mean looking cats, about her friend, "She's always despised that photo because the cat looks so darn angry. Now it's for a good cause!"

Lazy days, chillin' out, no worry about child support, something like that ... boy am I glad ... child support would be killing me.

Can't be bothered ... "Spay" me the hassle ... Who can nap with screamin' brats?

Sneaky attacks - haven't you always wanted to work undercover? Print messages, with or without graphics, on small cards, slip into beer cases or leave a few on shelves around human birth control supplies. Have a ball (~.*)- I swear, these things jump onto pages all by themselves.

This URL is deceiving on purpose. Starts with funnies (breed name bloopers), then whammo. I have no scruples when that's what it takes to get a message going: http://www.therealmartha.com/dogfunnies/index.htm

Sorry to say the links below were not working as of 3-21-06. The main site was "temporarily unavailable." I'm leaving as is just in case, pages have reappeared before. If they don't, I'd say feel free to use the text and graphic ideas.

Homeless Animals' Day
August 16, 2003
(Third Saturday of August each year)
Online Candlelight Vigil

The "No Excuses" Project

Spay/Neuter
Adopt
Rescue, Don't Breed

Animals don't need excuses - they need YOU!

Let me know where you've posted any of my art - I'll be happy to list your link(s) here as a supporter. Linking back to this page is always appreciated.

Links will be added as more goodies come along. There's a long animal welfare list already on the adopt page. Please let me know about any critter graphics sites too.

Lots more still below. Have to ask if you're fighting mad yet? Ready to do more than talk? Amazing how throwing money at a problem helps. Does "your" shelter have a site? Linking to http://www.therealmartha.com/Chewapalooza/index.htm is an automatic fund-raiser. If you're a little bit crafty, I have instructions for self-production. Several options are available for any group or situation. A percentage to animal welfare - preferably spay/neuter - is my only requirement.

From NeuterNeuterLand post: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NeuterNeuterLand/promote - Walter Drake catalog has their rainbow address labels on sale for half price, 500 labels for 3.99, plus shipping of course, but that's fantastic, I've never seen these on sale (no telling when sale will end). They're perfect that spay/neuter message on your envelopes, especially once the USPS stops issuing the sterile stamps. :(

This is what I have printed on mine, and it fits on all four lines very nicely.

   ANIMALS AT SHELTERS ARE
   KILLED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T
   COMPETE WITH "FREE" PUPS
   & KITTENS! SPAY & NEUTER!

My (Martha) note: could also be printed on your own sticker paper, return address size. Don't think it's all that expensive (have some on hand so haven't checked), cost would probably even out by the time you counted not paying shipping. This link should take you directly to label page: http://www.wdrake.com/shop/shop.cfm?cat=1

BTW, all-caps (meaning when you type in the order form or print yourself) look awful on anything (in my not-so-humble opinion).

The Ramifications of NOT Sterilizing Your Pets!

The following was received from Joanne Bradow – reposted from a veterinarian from Colorado. The article has been through many hands and I cannot determine the name of the author. Despite this, I thought it would be of interest as medical information. Kat Chaplin, Ahimsa of Texas, Inc.

I have been practicing for 17 years and operate a referral surgical practice. I went from veterinary school to an internship and then residency in surgery. I will unequivocally say that a large percentage of my work comes from people who do not spay or neuter or people who breed genetic junk.

On any given week, 95% of more of my fracture patients are intact males. Ditto for the gunshot and dog fight victims. I see testicular cancer on a regular basis, at least one case a month and see about triple the number of mammary tumors. Intact males that are not bred lead a life of frustration. I see many (3 or more per week) males with SERIOUS prostatic problems – blood in the urine, straining or inability to urinate, straining to defecate, or prostatic abscesses. These problems are life threatening. Long term straining often leads to perineal hernias, which are extremely unpleasant – they progress to being life-threatening, have many complications after surgery, and are very painful.

I also see a fair number of perianal tumors, which may not be life threatening, but can be a problem to remove and control in certain locations.

I see pyometra cases as well. These bitches are extremely ill and many die even with treatment if allowed to go too long. I will not even discuss unwanted or unplanned breedings. In my area, very few veterinarians use the “mismate” shot, as it is associated with many complications including prolonging heat cycles and a high risk for pyometra. The few veterinarians who do use it have the owner sign a release that they have been advised of the risks.

I find it Neanderthal not to spay and neuter non-breeding animals. I find it tragic that so many animals die unnecessarily from problems that could have been prevented or because the owner could not afford to spay/neuter when the problems arose and the pet was sick. Perhaps if some of those advocates of not spaying and neutering spent a week in my shoes, they would realize why some of us feel so strongly about it.

As far as a vasectomy or chemical castration, while it may make the dog sterile, the testosterone is still there, and the roaming, mounting, prostatic enlargement, etc., will continue. I have seen vasectomized dogs develop problems from the leakage of sperm into their scrotum as well.

Mammary (breast) cancer really IS a big problem in bitches. At Colorado State, we have one of the premier animal cancer treatment centers in the world. We see a lot of this problem, which is usually due to the estrogen-dependent tumors. Spaying before the second heat greatly reduces the risk of mammary cancer; spaying before the first heat virtually eliminates it.

80% of dogs hit by cars are intact males. Less than 1% of bitches spayed before their first heat cycle develop mammary cancer. The risk increases 25% after they have ONE heat 50% of mammary cancers are malignant in dogs.

Are these risks worth taking if the animal is not suitable for breeding?

These links show pics taken during surgery. Didn't bother me because I've been a vet tech and assisted many times. If you can't stand the sight of blood, don't go there. However, if you can get past being squeamish, it's all very interesting. You will also see how simple both surgeries are, and then you can send them along to anybody getting into a panic over the idea. Especially men acting like idiots over "feeling the pain." If balls are so damn important, fakes can be implanted - I'm not kidding. If I was dealing with a particularly stubborn man, I'd have it done behind his back and he'd never know the difference. I am not in the habit of lying or playing sneaky games, but all's fair in the overpopulation battle.

http://www.lbah.com/Index.htm - Long Beach Animal Hospital, use the pull down menu to select info on numerous vet procedures. Canine spay and feline neuters are also included.

The DJ&T Foundation - Devoted to the support of low cost or free spay/neuter clinics. Provides FAQs, grant application: www.djtfoundation.org

First I'd heard of grant - from a list post, "Good news ... received our 501(c)(3) status a few weeks ago. Then, yesterday I received a call from California informing me that our group would receive a $2500 spay/neuter grant that we applied for from the DJ&T Foundation (Bob Barker). It's time for a spay/neuter extravaganza!"

This is an old favorite - sorry about cutting off a few letters. The next projects will be digging the rest of archives out and re-tackling certain problems that never seem to change.

Note press badge :) This was the mature, real reporter-about-town look. Naturally she used her younger-days glam shot in the papers ~ don't all famous columnists?

Particularly well-said and to the point: http://nuzzled.net/spay_neuter.html - Excerpt: Not all kittens and puppies taken to a shelter get adopted. If you take your litter to a typical, overcrowded shelter, it is likely that the entire litter of kittens or puppies will go straight from your hands to the killing room - they must be destroyed immediately, due to lack of cage space. And don't think you can avoid the fatal consequences by taking them to a "no-kill" shelter - they may not have space. Even if they do accept your litter, that means other animals will be turned away, and taken to a shelter that may indeed kill them.

http://www.hollowcreekfarm.org/stamps.htm ~ Spay/neuter postage stamps, a step in the right direction but certainly would be more effective if the words were bright enough to read, with a complete statement like, I dunno, maybe "saves lives" - hmmmm, pretty dern complicated ... obviously someone's nose was too far buried in someone's tail end to actually think on that one. That's not a reflection on the site hosting the news page. Backtrack the URL to http://www.hollowcreekfarm.org/ rescue/adoption and training center (equine and canine specialization). Good info all around, success stories and links.

http://www.ci.arlington.tx.us/animals/know.html ~ Arlington Animal Services page with pic of license plate frame "Prevent A Litter, Fix Your Critter" used on service vehicles; good spay/neuter facts list

Clicking is better than nothing for people who customarily do nothing - however, taking a bag of food to your local shelter will do more good. Or, take a box of treats and ask to pass them out yourself. There should be no objection and you'll also be providing a nice break with a little socialization.

This is what else I do, when some dog doesn't have me by the a**
Main index, variety pages ~ easy recipes, a few crafts, skewed views, editorial tips, humor, controversy, common sense, odd-ball greeting cards ~ never can remember what all.
http://www.therealmartha.com/indexgraphiccr/default.htm

The "No Excuses" Project

Spay/Neuter Adopt Rescue, Don't Breed Animals don't need excuses - they need YOU!

Spay/Neuter
Adopt
Rescue, Don't Breed

Animals don't need excuses - they need YOU!