Join ISAR in Commemorating the 27th Annual International Homeless Animals’ Day® on Saturday, August 18 and Raise Much Needed Awareness About Pet Overpopulation
In conjunction with ISAR’s educational efforts to spread the companion animal overpopulation message and spay/neuter solution, ISAR will consider grant requests to not-for-profit organizations participating in ISAR’s International Homeless Animals’ Day which incorporate a spay/neuter component.
Since 1992 ISAR has used the third Saturday of August as a platform for animal protection organizations, humane societies, rescue groups, veterinary professionals, caring individuals, public officials, and animal-friendly businesses — throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada and abroad — to come together in solidarity to enlighten the public about a tragedy that affects all communities: Dog and cat overpopulation and the urgent need for spay/neuter and adoption programs.
Twenty-seven years since its inception, International Homeless Animals’ Day continues to grow, helping pave the way to bring pet overpopulation to public attention.
In 2018, IHAD will be observed on Saturday, August 18. Already, we have events scheduled throughout the United States and in AUSTRALIA, CANADA, FRANCE, HONDURAS, INDONESIA, LITHUANIA, MALAYSIA, PANAMA, PERU, SOUTH AFRICA, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, UKRAINE, UNITED KINGDOM, VENEZUELA and VIETNAM.
We invite you to join a worldwide movement focusing on the dog and cat overpopulation problem and the urgent need for spay/neuter and adoption programs by participating in IHAD. There are a variety of ways you and/or your organization can participate:
Organizations participating in IHAD can receive free promotional publicity materials upon request and your organization’s event, website and pet adoption pages will be advertised to thousands of people on ISAR’s website, as well as our online communities such as Facebook and Twitter.
Please contact us to receive additional information, grant application, or to register your event.
International Society for Animal Rights in partnership with the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School are pleased to announce the recipient of the International Society for Animal Rights/Helen Jones Memorial Scholarship.
Attorney Tess Vickery has been awarded a full-tuition LL.M. scholarship offering her the opportunity to earn the world’s only advanced degree in animal law.
Ms. Vickery is a very accomplished woman, and ideal candidate for Lewis & Clark Law School’s LLM degree in Animal Law. Her CV can be viewed here.
Dear Friends,
As our supporters know, ISAR’s founder, the late Helen Jones, was a Twentieth Century visionary and relentless warrior in the moral crusade for animal rights in the United States and abroad.
Early in her career, one of Helen Jones’s most profound insights was that an essential strategy for securing rights for animals was through public education, legislation, and the legal system—a strategy that ISAR has employed for decades. Helen recognized the role of law and lawyers in the fight for Animal Rights.
In furtherance of her and ISAR’s dedication to seek justice for companion animals by attacking the overpopulation scourge, ISAR is proud to announce the International Society for Animal Rights/Helen Jones Memorial Scholarship in partnership with the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School. This full-tuition LL.M. scholarship will offer a foreign attorney the opportunity to earn the world’s only advanced degree in animal law.
The Helen Jones Memorial Scholarship is targeted at students who desire and agree to return to their home country to engage in full-time animal law-related work for at least one year. The scholarship will be awarded to a foreign attorney who demonstrates “a sincere commitment to addressing companion animal overpopulation, and the many issues that flow from overpopulation.”
ISAR’s International Homeless Animals’ Day, an annual event observed each year on the third Saturday of August, will take place on Saturday, August 18, 2018 for the 27th consecutive year. ISAR conceived and commemorated International Homeless Animals’ Day in 1992 to shed light on the pet overpopulation crisis and the spay/neuter solution. Now, twenty-six years later, observances have already been celebrated in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, in over 50 countries and on 6 continents.
On International Homeless Animals’ Day, ISAR and others—animal protection organizations, humane societies, rescue groups, veterinary professionals, caring individuals, public officials, and animal-friendly businesses—throughout the United States and abroad send the spay/neuter and adoption message.
ISAR’s International Homeless Animals’ Day has been the first and only universal event focusing on the dog and cat overpopulation problem and urgent need for spay/neuter and adoption programs.
For IHAD 2018, ISAR is actively recruiting volunteer representatives from every country to engage in public education about the worldwide problem of companion animal (dog and cat) overpopulation, which in its resultant cruelty has severe and unacceptable impact on the world’s economy, health, safety, welfare, and environment.
ISAR’s IHAD-2018 representatives’ will organize events, and encourage the participation of local animal protection organizations, businesses, veterinarians, political leaders, local celebrities, teacher associations, school students, and others.
Recently, ISAR was pleased to speak with the Honorable Minister Maneka Gandhi, who has graciously agreed to be ISAR’s International Homeless Animals’ Day volunteer representative for all of India.
Already, we have selected representatives for IHAD-2018: INDIA, PANAMA, SWITZERLAND, UKRAINE, and VENEZUELA. We are in contact with potential volunteer representatives from AZERBAIJAN, CAMBODIA, CROATIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, GHANA, GUATEMALA, IRAQ, LIBERIA, MOROCCO, NEPAL, NIGERIA, NICARAGUA, TUNISIA, UZBEKISTAN and other countries.
It has been said that “there is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come” (mis-attributed to the French writer Victor Hugo). The worldwide movement against dog and cat overpopulation is surely an “idea whose time has come.”
ISAR extends an invitation to all our veteran event coordinators from throughout the United States and abroad, as well as to a host of new ones. Join us on Saturday, August 18, 2018, in commemorating ISAR’s 27th annual International Homeless Animals’ Day.
There are a variety of ways you and/or your organization can participate: Pet adoptions; educational events; candlelight vigils; blessing of the animals’ ceremonies; spay/neuter, microchip/vaccination clinics; award ceremonies; marches; speeches by public officials, celebrities, local veterinarians and humane workers.
Your participation in International Homeless Animals’ Day 2018 will underscore the impact your organization’s solution-focused efforts can have on saving the lives of homeless animals.
ISAR offers a free IHAD planning packet to all who are interested in coordinating an IHAD event, whether it be a large gathering or a modest observance. Our newly updated packet includes suggestions for site selection, reaching target audiences, speakers, press releases, colorful posters, ISAR’s proclamations, and much more! Interested parties may request a free IHAD planning packet by contacting ISAR by mail, phone, fax or email.
ISAR’s 17th annual International Homeless Animals’ Day (IHAD®) virtual vigil will be held once again on our website, www.isaronline.org. ISAR’s online vigil provides an option for those who cannot attend an IHAD observance in person to participate. ISAR’s computer-generated vigil allows visitors to light virtual candles online in memory of victims of pet overpopulation, thus further driving home the importance of spay/neuter. ISAR’s online vigil also presents visitors with the option to personalize their virtual candle with photos of their pets.
ISAR’s Spay/Neuter Billboard – Hwy 126 Pittsburg, KS
One of ISAR’s major tools in our effort to educate the public about the moral and other reasons for spaying/neutering companion animals is our billboard campaign.
Billboards certainly get out the message. That’s why ISAR conceived and implemented our Billboard Program years ago, emphasizing the spay/neuter education component of our anti-overpopulation mission.
As our supporters know, in 2017, ISAR enhanced our efforts to reduce dog and cat overpopulation by enlarging our existing outdoor advertising program and budget by creating and then installing in selected venues throughout the United States custom-designed, eye-catching Spanish language billboards carrying ISAR’s companion animal overpopulation and spay/neuter solution messages, as well as prominently displaying ISAR’s phone number. ISAR was able to offer information about local low-cost spay/neuter information to those that saw our billboards and contacted us.
In 2018, ISAR has again expanded our billboard campaign to reach out to pet owners in low income areas to help them find low-cost spay/neuter services in close proximity to where they reside.
I’m pleased to report that in just the last few months, ISAR’s spay/neuter billboards have been posted in communities throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Indiana, Texas, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.
We know through experience that ISAR’s billboards have raised public awareness of dog and cat overpopulation and the spay/neuter solution, because of the volume of phone calls we receive seeking local low-cost spay/neuter information.
ISAR will continue to post our powerful spay/neuter billboards throughout the country to spread the spay/neuter message and prevent countless puppies and kittens from being born, thus saving countless numbers from a life of disease, pain, hunger, abuse, cruelty and, ultimately for many of them, a terrible death.
ISAR is most grateful to you, our supporters and friends for making our work on behalf of animals possible. With your future support, we shall continue to advance the rights of animals through law, legislation, and education.
Sincerely,
Susan Dapsis
ISAR President
As our supporters know, ISAR’s founder, the late Helen Jones, was a Twentieth Century visionary and relentless warrior in the moral crusade for animal rights in the United States and abroad.
Early in her career, one of Helen Jones’s most profound insights was that an essential strategy for securing rights for animals was through public education, legislation, and the legal system—a strategy that ISAR has employed for decades. Helen recognized the role of law and lawyers in the fight for Animal Rights.
In furtherance of her and ISAR’s dedication to seek justice for companion animals by attacking the overpopulation scourge, ISAR is proud to announce the International Society for Animal Rights/Helen Jones Memorial Scholarship in partnership with the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School. This full-tuition LL.M. scholarship will offer a foreign attorney the opportunity to earn the world’s only advanced degree in animal law.
The Helen Jones Memorial Scholarship is targeted at students who desire and agree to return to their home country to engage in full-time animal law-related work for at least one year. The scholarship will be awarded to a foreign attorney who demonstrates “a sincere commitment to addressing companion animal overpopulation, and the many issues that flow from overpopulation.”
ISAR would like to call your attention to one of our major programs: International Homeless Animals’ Day (IHAD).
Conceived and commemorated originally in 1992, ISAR’s IHAD is the first and only worldwide event focusing on the dog and cat overpopulation problem and urgent need for affordable spay/neuter and adoption programs.
On IHAD, ISAR along with animal protection organizations, humane societies, rescue groups, veterinary professionals, caring individuals, public officials, and animal-friendly businesses from throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada and abroad, join together to send our spay/neuter and adoption message.
Since its inception, ISAR’s International Homeless Animals’ Day has continued to grow and gain momentum in the war against dog and cat overpopulation. To date, ISAR’s International Homeless Animals’ Day observances have been held in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, in over 50 countries, on 6 continents.
For IHAD 2018, IHAD will be held on August 18. We are now selecting at least one International Homeless Animals’ Day (IHAD) volunteer representative for every country where we don’t have one already.
Our representatives will encourage local animal protection organizations, businesses, veterinarians, political leaders, local celebrities, teacher associations, school students, and scouting groups to organize an observance in honor of International Homeless Animals’ Day.
IHAD activities vary, including educational events, candlelight vigils, blessing of the animals ceremonies, spay/neuter clinics, adoptions, shelter open houses, microchip clinics, award ceremonies, marches, speeches by public figures, celebrities, local veterinarians, humane workers, and many more.
IHAD’s representatives can apply for an International Homeless Animals’ Day grant to support free or low-cost spay/neuter and adoption programs. (Grants are restricted to applications from registered, not-for-profit organizations, and for spay/neuter and adoption services.)
Please feel free to share International Homeless Animals’ Day 2018 with your Facebook and Twitter followers.
For additional information, please contact International Society for Animal Rights.
The last few decades have seen the birth and exponential growth of a new field of jurisprudence, mostly in the United States, but also elsewhere in the world: Animal Law.
“Seeds” are defined as “the source, origin, or beginning of anything,” giving rise in the context of Animal Law to three important historical questions: What were the seeds, who planted them in the United States, and what have they grown into in service to the cause of animal rights?
Joyce Tischler, attorney, founder, and president of Animal Legal Defense Fund has identified the beginning of Animal Law in America. It was when ISAR and its long-time chairman, Professor Henry Mark Holzer, brought a constitutional challenge against a religious exemption to the federal Humane Slaughter Act. The federal case was entitled Jones, et al. v. Butz (374 F.Supp. 1284, D.C.N.Y. 1974).
As “the first animal rights lawyer,” some forty years ago Professor Henry Mark Holzer first articulated his vision of using the law on behalf of animals at the “First National Conference on Animal Rights Law,” organized and sponsored by ISAR and Professor Holzer in 1981.
A major result of the conference was to coalesce the attending lawyers into a loose network of like-minded individuals, and to identify the tools necessary to create an entirely new, discrete field of law–one which would take its deserved place among other long-recognized practice areas such as corporate law, property law, criminal law and many others.
Over the past two decades, Professor Holzer’s vision has been almost fully realized.
The seeds that ISAR and Professor Henry Mark Holzer planted have grown.
ISAR is proud of how its seeds have flourished. From time to time we let our supporters know what new flowers have sprouted in today’s jurisprudentially recognized field of Animal Law. Please visit isaronline.org to read more about the flourishing seeds of animal law.
Dear Friends,
ISAR is supporting a powerful new tool in the fight for one of our most important goals: ending the dog and cat overpopulation crisis. We are always searching for new ways to shed light on the overpopulation tragedy and the spay/neuter solution. We have found this in The Cat Rescuers (catrescuersfilm.com), a film documentary–in– progress that spotlights the epidemic of literally countless abandoned and feral cats on New York City’s streets, and the heroic efforts of four activists who hit the streets in Brooklyn to fight overpopulation.
ISAR recently had the opportunity to view the trailer of The Cat Rescuers. Believing it can help raise awareness of the plight of homeless animals not only in Brooklyn, but everywhere, ISAR provided a sizeable contribution through Kickstarter to put the funding for the documentary over the top.
The film’s producers told thousands of its social media supporters, “We made our Kickstarter goal, thanks to The International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR), one of the oldest animal rights organizations in the U.S. They came in with a sizable contribution, putting us over the top! Thank you, ISAR!”
Stay tuned to hear more about this moving and motivating film and how rescue groups can screen it in their communities.
We are pleased to inform ISAR’s supporters that the Animal Rights Law Reporter– founded and edited by Professor Henry Mark Holzer, and published by International Society for Animal Rights – is now part of the online collection of the Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University College of Law. Read all about it here.
Professor Holzer, chairman of ISAR, conceived the area of Animal Law as a distinct legal practice in the U.S. Animal Law did not exist as a separate legal specialty until 1973 when Professor Holzer filed the landmark lawsuit Jones v. Butz, which advocated for animals’ rights by challenging an exception under the federal Humane Methods of Livestock Act of 1958.
Professor Holzer’s lawsuit served as the opening salvo in what is still the emerging field of Animal Law. Since then, the interest in animal law of lawyers, law schools, the legal profession, the public, and the media has burgeoned.
Tucson, Arizona, immediately across from Nogales, Mexico, is the site of one of ISAR’s most recent Spanish language spay/neuter billboards.
ISAR’s most recent Spanish language spay/neuter billboard.
Since January, ISAR spay/neuter billboards in Spanish have spread across the U.S. in cities with sizable Spanish-speaking populations: Fort Myers, FL; Fresno and Los Angeles, CA; New Haven, CT; Philadelphia, PA (English); Denver, CO; Atlanta, GA; Allentown and Easton, PA; Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio, TX; Albuquerque and Anthony, NM; Chicago, IL; Springfield, MA; Providence, RI; Las Vegas, NV; Milwaukee, WI; and the above billboard in Tucson, AZ, which borders Nogales, Mexico.
In August, ISAR supporters in Patterson, NJ, and the New York metropolitan area saw a new Spanish language billboard in the neighborhood.
These billboards have caught drivers’ eyes, prompting numerous calls to ISAR requesting information on local low-cost spay/neuter programs.
Animals – powerless and voiceless – have two committed and compassionate advocates in ISAR and Animals Today Radio. Since 2009, ISAR has been a major sponsor of the “Animals Today” radio program/podcast (animalstodayradio.com), an influential national voice that addresses a variety of contemporary animal-related topics with warmth, knowledge and a fierce love of all animals.
Hosted by Dr. Lori Kirshner, founder and President of Advancing the Interest of Animals (AIA), “Animals Today,” a project of (AIA), features news about animals, interviews with veterinarians and other experts, as well as discussions on the important issues affecting animals in the United States and around the world today.
Dr. Kirshner and Dr. Peter Spiegel, the other founding member of AIA, promote respect and compassion for wild and domesticated animals while educating listeners with an appealing mixture of wisdom and warmth. For example, the September 23 show featured Laura Beven, Southern Regional Director for the Humane Society of the United States, who provided a firsthand account of the effects of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey and how animal welfare groups, government agencies and individuals are working to protect and rescue animals affected by the disasters. On the October 7 show, Lori discussed the origins of the field of Animal Law, sharing the recently published International Society for Animal Rights Special Report, Seeds, that describes how Animal Law began and what it has become. Lori express her appreciation to ISAR’s chairman Professor Henry Mark Holzer saying, “We’ve come a long way! Congratulations to Professor Holzer and our most sincere thanks.”
A previous show introduced listeners to Meera Gajjar, an attorney with the Wildlife Whistleblower Program of the National Whistleblower Center. She discussed how animal lovers and advocates can confidentially report if illegal wildlife trafficking, logging, fishing and other wildlife laws are being violated. She stressed that whistleblowers who disclose original information concerning wildlife crimes that result in a successful enforcement action may receive monetary rewards.
Pet owners always tune in to hear Lori and Peter share tips on pet care, such as how to protect pets in hot weather (think ice cubes in water dishes that are placed out of the sun and portable water bowls when you leave home). Before walking your dog in hot weather, do you “test” asphalt by putting your hand on it? You should!
Anyone with an interest in animals – wild or domestic – and their welfare should tune in to Animals Today Radio: Live shows air and stream on Saturday, at 1 p.m.; check your local market for the station. Podcasts of shows are posted on www.animalstodayradio.com within 24 hours of airing and the page features archived shows.
So please, for some serious talk about animals and to hear what actions listeners can take to help animals locally, nationally, and around the world, listen to, learn from, and support Animals Today Radio!
Across the world, Saturday, August 19 marked the 26th annual International Homeless Animals’ Day® (IHAD®). In more than 45 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and more than 25 countries spanning six continents, hundreds of animal protection organizations celebrated International Homeless Animals’ Day. Every year, more and more organizations and animal lovers come together on the third Saturday of August to raise awareness of the tragedy of pet overpopulation and the spay/neuter solution.
Vermont
In Stowe, Vermont, the North Country Animal League Mutt Strutt attracted 60 people and their dogs of all shapes and sizes to Stowe Village for a parade through town followed by a festival on the events field in honor of International Homeless Animals’ Day.
The Mutt Strutt event raised more than $6,000 for North Country Animal League to support its mission to promote 3 4 responsible and compassionate relationships between humans and animals through adoption, humane education, and spay/neuter initiatives. At least 10 of the dogs at the event had found forever homes through NCAL.
Pennsylvania
Tri-County Animal Rescue in Clarion, Pennsylvania, hosted its fifth annual IHAD event in Veteran’s Memorial Park. Every year, the event draws more people for a day of fun and fostering love for animals and pet adoptions.
Festivities included a pet parade, pet blessing, animal advocate award presentation, and raffles to help raise money for the shelter.
Throughout the day, speakers from the Humane Pennsylvania Political Action Committee, Safe Haven Small Breed Rescue and Happily Ever After Rescue spoke on a variety of topics including the importance of spaying/neutering and banning puppy mills.
Participants ended the day by lighting luminaries (left) whose glow memorialized homeless animals’ suffering and brought the day to a close.
It was a day of hope and remembrance as Tails of Hope, which runs a low-cost spay and neuter clinic in Hermitage, observed IHAD with events that included a candlelight vigil, led by the Rev. Joe Yurka, (bottom left) to pay homage to the millions of dogs and cats annually put to death in shelters.
“What we want to do is end this senseless killing,” said Tails of Hope board member Maleia James, who is president of Cat Landers. With Tails of Hope, “There’s no excuse now not to spay and neuter animals,” she said.
Rev. Joe Yurka
The city of Hermitage commissioners signed an IHAD proclamation, State Representative Mark Longetti and candidates for local office attended the event.
A beautiful evening and musical entertainment set the scene for those attending the 20th annual International Homeless Animals’ Day Candlelight Vigil sponsored by Defenders of Animals.
Rhode Island
The Rhode Island-based non-profit has endorsed pro-animal legislation on the national, state, and local levels since 1978, and many of its accomplishments were highlighted during the vigil.
“We have always believed in this credo: ‘The smaller the victim, the bigger the crime,’” said Dennis Tabella, director of Defenders of Animals, seen speaking at left. “I have always taken the side of the underdog, and there is no greater underdog than the dogs and cats that are waiting for homes at our shelters or those poor souls that walk the streets and throughout our neighborhoods without the love and security from a human being.”
“The International Homeless Animals’ Day/Candlelight Vigil was held in conjunction with the International Society for Animal Rights campaign and serves as an opportunity for animal advocates from around Rhode Island to band together on a special day and jumpstart new spay/neuter/adoption campaigns,” said Tabella.
Defenders of Animals is dedicated to keeping the issue of dog and cat overpopulation before the public. It’s crucial that Rhode Islanders have their cats and dogs spayed/neutered and support local organizations that work toward keeping the pet population down so that municipal and private shelters do not have to euthanize animal due to over population issues.
Switzerland
“Something good happens every time we hold this annual event – another cat or dog finds a home, another member helps to foster a dog or cat, or someone new volunteers to help out at an event,” said Tabella.
SOS Chats, held its 12th annual IHAD observance on the Place Pury in Neuchatel, Switzerland. Several guests came to show solidarity for animals abused and killed throughout the world, including a delegation from Kiev, Ukraine, journalists, politicians and celebrities. Each year, SOS Chats utilizes IHAD as a platform for gathering many signatures for their ongoing petition campaigns to protect the animals in Switzerland.
Colombia
AnimaNaturalis Colombia, Humanitarian Management of Fauna Callejera, Donatón por los Animales, and The Spoon Revolution made the Donate for Animals 2017 IHAD event a day to remember at the Blue Pavilion of Plaza Mayor in Medellín. Music and fun set the tone but there was also a serious side as representatives of animal protection and adoption groups spoke about the need for spaying/neutering and laws protecting animals.
Venezuela
Using the power of social media and the internet, Red de Apoyo Canino observed International Homeless Animals’ Day with an E-Adoption (virtual adoption fair) on its social media channels, followed by a Google Hangout, where the organization provided information on adoption, fostering and spay/neuter campaigns.
Thanks to a generous grant from ISAR, Red de Apoyo Canino organized a three-day spay and neuter program in Sucre State, Venezuela (right), where 125 dogs and cats, many of them homeless, were sterilized, improving their quality of life and slowing the cycle of more unanted animals.
Panama
A matching grant from ISAR helped SpayPanama mark IHAD in the best way possible – with volunteers helping vets sterilize 200 mostly feral cats and 70 dogs (right) in the city of Parque Lefevre, Panama where many homeless animals live desperate lives. Said Patricia Chan, director and founder of SpayPanama, “Thank you ISAR for being our guiding light.”
Malaysia
SPCA Penang, Malaysia, alerted city residents to International Homeless Animals’ Day 2017 by sponsoring the SPCA Fun Photo Contest, themed “My Pet, My Best Friend.” City residents were invited to visit the SPCA Shelter to meet new animal friends available for adoption, learn how vital spaying/neutering is and considering volunteering.
The photo contest, winners and their best friends, (right), spurred interest in SPCA Penang, which houses 50 animals. Prizes of pet food were donated by a pet food company and a photo studio donated photo frames.
SPCA Penang added neutering vouchers prizes for each winner. SPCA administrator Leng Lily, was pleased with the turnout and press coverage by the Penang Star and Chinese media. “Events like our IHAD Open House encourage people to adopt pets instead of buying them.”
Chile
International Homeless Animals’ Day was observed at the Plaza María Luisa Bombal, Calle Villanelo, in Viña del mar, Chile, with a Venezuela Panama Malaysia Chile 7 responsible ownership pet fair. Mayor Virginia Reginato, participated in the open fair urging animal guardians to spay and neuter their companion animals.
Graduates of the local veterinary medicine college performed free veterinary check-ups for pets and provided information about caring for dogs and cats. Nonprofit associations related to the protection and defense of homeless animals also participated in the fair and provided information on responsible pet ownership and adoption of dogs and cats.
Russia
Calling for the protection of “our smaller brothers,” the Group for the Protection of Animals in Tver, a city 90 minutes northwest of Moscow, observed IHAD in Russia. Joined by several other animal rights organizations and with the support of the Gorky Library, a cultural mainstay in this city on the Volga River, the Protection of Animals’ supporters organized a successful pet food and medical supplies drive for animal shelters. Volunteers collected donated supplies at a booth featuring photos of animals for adoption in front of the Library and talked about the importance of spaying/neutering.
Recognition by local and state officials of the importance of each year’s International Homeless Animals’ Day is a vital part of keeping the issue of animal rights before the public and progressing proanimal laws through legislative bodies. Several animal protection organizations were presented with signed proclamations declaring August 19, 2017, as International Homeless Animals’ Day.
U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth E. Mapp proclaimed Aug. 19 as International Homeless Animals’ Day in the Virgin Islands, consistent with the observance by the International Society for Animal Rights. He called attention to the suffering of abandoned and homeless animals and the issue of pet overpopulation awareness. Mapp’s proclamation noted that millions of unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized at U.S. animal shelters each year because homes cannot be found for them.
Michigan State Rep. Martin Howrylak of Troy promoted House Resolution 126, which declared International Homeless Animals Day throughout the state.
Sadly, Michigan is contributing to this troubling problem. According to a 2014 Michigan Shelter survey, nearly one out of every four animals that enter a shelter in the state are eventually euthanized.
“These are eye-opening statistics,” said Rep. Howrylak. “Unfortunately, many of these animals were loving companions who were ready to be adopted. Due to limited space at local shelters, these animals simply ran out of time to find a new home.”
The August 8 Washington Post featured an article on IHAD and quoted ISAR President Susan Dapsis: “Children can participate in IHAD by walking shelter dogs, grooming shelter animals and spending time with them. This will bring much happiness to the animals and prepare them for their journey to a new home.”
The article highlighted the work of the Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket, Thailand, where many of its 500 dogs are socialized and transported to North America for adoption.
ISAR is continually grateful to all those who help ISAR promote our annual International Homeless Animals’ Day observances and the important spay/neuter message. Many advertising outlets assist ISAR each year to shed light on pet overpopulation. We greatly appreciate every radio and television interview, newspaper article, letter-to-the-editor, blogs, YouTube videos, websites, and social networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter, all of which have helped ISAR to enlighten the public to the tragedy of pet overpopulation and its self-evident spay/neuter solution.
Please join us in commemorating ISAR’s 27th annual International Homeless Animals’ Day!
ISAR extends a warm invitation to all our veteran event coordinators, as well as to a host of new ones, to join us on Saturday, August 18, 2018 for International Homeless Animals’ Day. Please contact ISAR by mail, phone, fax, or email to receive an IHAD 2018 planning packet.
Together we will continue to be a voice for the animals and continue to demand an end to the suffering and exploitation inflicted on animals each day.
Sincerely,
Susan Dapsis
ISAR President
…Patricia Chan, Director and Founder Spay Panama
The IHAD began on August 16, 2017, thanks to a matching grant from ISAR to spay/neuter 200 cats from the West Side of Panama City; this is crossing the bridge over the Panama Canal. The need is great and we aimed at 300 sterilizations, unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and it rained the four days. Most of the cats were feral.
| C A T S | |||
| Female | Male | Total | |
| 16-Aug | 16 | 12 | 28 |
| 17-Aug | 26 | 11 | 37 |
| 18-Aug | 25 | 21 | 46 |
| 19-Aug | 50 | 30 | 80 |
| 191 | |||
On August 17, 2017, three volunteers visit the nearest school to the IHAD spay event location to talk about responsible pet ownership and the importance to spay/neuter.
On August 20, 2017, the team of vets and volunteers mobilized to the community of Parque Lefevre.
Doctors and volunteers set up the equipment at the gym
Guardians and rescuers form the line with their animals. It was raining cats and dogs
Awareness that together we can make a difference is growing. We had
Civil Defense, personnel from Banco Nacional and students from the Universidad Interamericana as volunteers
115 cats and 70 dogs were sterilized. Which means that we have prevented hundreds of unwanted litters.
Those listening to KMXX 99.3 and KSEH 94.5 radio stations in California’s Imperial Valley – a majority of whose residents speak Spanish – are hearing a vital Public Service Announcement in that language six times each day: “In the U.S., 70,000 puppies and kittens are born every day … If you let your animal have a litter, even just one, these kittens and puppies will go on to produce more offspring – and very quickly, that adds up to many unwanted dogs and cats. Countless dogs and cats are killed in shelters each year because there is nowhere for them to go.”
Listeners are then advised to act responsibly by spaying and neutering their pets: “Your veterinarian or a low-cost clinic in your area can do the procedure. Fixed cats are less likely to get certain cancers and less likely to bite, fight, roam or run away.”
“So, for a healthier and happier pet and to help improve the pet overpopulation problem, make sure you get your animals fixed right away.”
Sponsored by the International Society for Animal Rights and Advancing the Interests of Animals, this Public Service Announcement (PSA) is currently being heard on radio stations serving Spanish-speaking audiences across the U.S. From WHAT 1340, Philadelphia’s top Spanish language radio station, to WPSP 1190 in Palm Beach, Florida, which provides programming for Hispanics ages 25 and up, to KGRW 94 in Amarillo, which is the largest city in the Texas Panhandle, these stations – and dozens more like them – are getting the word out on the necessity of spaying and neutering.
As a result of ISAR’s efforts countless pet owners are learning how a simple procedure, performed by their vet or at a low-cost clinic, can help animals by fighting the curse of overpopulation.
ISAR’s Spanish PSA – along with spay/neuter billboards in English and Spanish in 30 U.S. states Canada and Ireland – is another powerful tool in ISAR’s crusade to keep the issue of animal overpopulation in front of the public and educate them on how to combat it.
Remember, Saturday, August 19 is International Homeless Animals’ Day® (IHAD®). Over 100 events will take place in more than 40 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and 10 countries.
The August 8 Washington Post featured an article on IHAD and quoted ISAR President Susan Dapsis: “Children can participate in IHAD by walking shelter dogs, grooming shelter animals and spending time with them. This will bring much happiness to the animals and prepare them for their journey to a new home.”
The article highlighted the work of the Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket, Thailand, where many of its 500 dogs are socialized and transported to North America for adoption.