World Spay Day

World Spay Day timeline

1930s

Neutering Accessibility

Spaying and neutering becomes widely accessible for cats and dogs.

1969

The First Clinic

The first affordable spaying clinic opens in Los Angeles.

1972

Adoption Requirements

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals makes sterilization for all adopted animals a requirement.

1970s

Strays Problem

Shelters became overpopulated with strays, with euthanasia rates peaking.

World Spay Day FAQs

When is World Spay Day?

In 2027, World Spay Day is observed on Tuesday, February 23, marking another opportunity to advocate for spaying and neutering. It’s a key date for animal welfare organizations worldwide.

How many animals are impacted by spay/neuter efforts?

The collective impact of spay/neuter programs is immense, preventing countless unwanted litters and alleviating strain on animal shelters. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters each year, with spay/neuter being a primary tool to reduce this number.

What is the primary benefit of spaying or neutering a pet?

Beyond population control, these procedures offer numerous health and behavioral benefits for individual pets, including a reduced risk of certain cancers and a decrease in undesirable behaviors like roaming and aggression. It contributes to a longer, healthier life for your companion.

Is World Spay Day a global observance?

The observance has grown into a truly global effort, with events and campaigns taking place in dozens of countries. This widespread participation underscores the universal challenge of pet overpopulation and the shared commitment to addressing it.

How to Observe World Spay Day

Call 1-800-248-SPAY

Even animal rights organizations like PETA are pro animal sterilization, and have set up a hotline to help you find your nearest low-cost spay and neuter clinic.

Celebrate your pets’ neutering

Getting your pet neutered or spayed means there’ll be no more aggression or urine marking. There’ll be less roaming, fighting, and moodiness. In exchange, your companions will also likely become more interested in you, instead of finding a mate. And they’ll still protect you and your family. It's a party!

Tell your stupid friends about it

If you have friends who talk about wanting to leave their pets “intact”, tell them they’re just stupid, okay? And take some of our key facts about spaying and neutering, to show them why.

Why World Spay Day is Important

It all started with Doris Day

Naming a festival aimed at removing the testes and ovaries of animals after a legendary performer seems…like a stretch. But in 1978 Doris Day founded her Animal Foundation, which in turn, founded Spay Day USA in 1995 to help eliminate the problem of homeless pets.

Because it saves millions of animals’ lives

At least three million adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized in the U.S. each year because they don’t have homes — numbers largely attributable to unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering. Spaying and neutering can also reduce the incidence of some of the most common types of cat and dog cancers.

Because it makes more room in shelters

Even if you could, in theory, find loving homes for the puppies and kittens your animals might produce, there’ll still be fewer homes for puppies and kittens already in animal shelters. And that means they’re more likely to be killed. This is a day that really draws attention to the importance of not being super selfish when it comes to watching your pets experience the miracle of birth!