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JOINT RESOLUTION DECLARING FEBRUARY 25, 2010 SPAY DAY MAINE 2010
WHEREAS, more than 20,435 dogs and cats entered the 8 largest animal shelters in Maine, out of 100 licensed shelters, during 2007, the most recent year for which substantial data is available; and
WHEREAS,  approximately 40% of these animals were not reclaimed by their owners or were not adopted by new owners and therefore were euthanized; and
WHEREAS,  in many instances the animals are young, healthy and friendly creatures that are euthanized simply because there are not enough good homes for them; and
WHEREAS,  an additional unknown number of Maine animals die each year due to abandonment, neglect, abuse, starvation or cruelty; and
WHEREAS,  the cost to State Government and nonprofit agencies of handling and euthanizing discarded animals is estimated to exceed tens of millions of dollars per year; and
WHEREAS,  the spaying or neutering of dogs and cats helps solve this tragic and costly problem by reducing the number of dogs and cats that end up in shelters; and
WHEREAS,  it is the intent of the Legislature to support a strong policy in the State of animal shelters' aggressively promoting spay and neuter programs to reduce pet overpopulation; and
WHEREAS,  residents of the State can contribute to this effort by spaying or neutering their own companion animals and by supporting programs in their communities that offer accessible spay and neuter services, including the state-run Help Fix ME program; and
WHEREAS,  veterinarians, humane societies, animal control agencies and national and local animal welfare organizations join together to advocate the spaying or neutering of dogs and cats on "Spay Day USA 2010," an annual campaign of the Humane Society of the United States; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Legislature now assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to declare that February 25, 2010 is Spay Day Maine 2010 and we request and urge that the people of Maine observe the day by committing to have their dogs or cats spayed or neutered and by contributing to charitable organizations that provide spay and neuter services and we request that Maine veterinarians work with animal shelters and rescue groups to provide accessible spay and neuter services.