Celebrate World Spay Day
By Christine Cowett Robinson
Special to the Star-Herald
World Spay Day is coming up soon, the last Tuesday in February. In celebration, the Central Aroostook Humane Society has offered a half-price sale on all altered animals at our shelter for the month of February.
FORMER RESIDENT Pooh Bear 
and his “parents” Bob and Anna Saucier made a donation recently to the Central Aroostook Humane Society of $300. Tips left at The Paddy Wagon or The Paddock Cafe go to help animals at the Presque Isle facility, just like Pooh Bear. Pictured from left are: Bob Saucier, Pooh Bear and Christine Robinson, president, CAHS board of directors.
How can you help us celebrate World Spay Day? You could sponsor one of our many “unaltered” animals to be neutered or spayed. You could help a friend get their unaltered animal altered; you can help by spreading the word about the importance of spaying and neutering your animals. There are lots of options that can be done to help.
It takes a community to fight the over-population problem in our own area. The Central Aroostook Humane Society works very hard to raise awareness about this issue through education and by being pro-active, actively spaying and neutering.
We are now spaying and neutering our animals before adoption, so that the animals we offer for adoption are not part of the over-population problem. Every donation you make to the shelter, every person you educate and every pet you alter helps to curb the number of unwanted animals born in the County each year.
In recognition of Spay Day 2008, the Presque Isle Animal Hospital offered to alter 10 cats for us for a discounted price. This was a huge help to us and a greatly-appreciated gesture. They picked up the cats, altered them and delivered them back to the shelter. No kittens from these cats, ever! It doesn’t get any better than that!
Let me share some cat facts with you. A female cat typically becomes “active” between 5-9 months but it is possible for kittens as young as 4 months to go into heat and become pregnant! It is possible for a female cat to have as many as five litters a year. The average size of a litter is three but can be up to as many as six or more. So let’s stop right there; you do the math. Okay, I will. Five litters times six kittens equals 25, times the average life of a cat is 15 years equals 375 kittens in this poor female’s lifetime. Then consider that half of each litter is female, and the vicious cycle begins again!
How very sad is that. Of course, most outside cats do not live that long, but it is possible. No wonder there is such a problem with irresponsible people not altering their cats.
As you can see, it doesn’t take long for two cats to become a colony of cats. That is why we encourage you to take care of the problem before the cats can multiply. It is common sense.
If you are looking for a “friend for life,” please consider adopting from the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We are open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or give us a call at 764-3441. You can also visit us online at www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org.
