Pet overpopulation is a serious problem in our country. It’s a problem that affects everyone and it’s a problem we can solve by working together.

Here are a few startling facts:

In seven years, two unaltered cats and their unaltered descendants can theoretically produce 420,000 cats.

In just six years, two unaltered dogs and all their unaltered descendants can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs.

Six to eight million cats and dogs enter shelters each year.

Each year, five million cats and dogs are killed in shelters across America. Yes, you read that right. Five million.

That’s one cat or dog about every 6 1/2 seconds.

Still thinking this is not your problem?

Each year as taxpayers we spend $2 billion to round up, house, kill and dispose of homeless, unwanted animals. That’s your tax dollars at work people.

Unaltered cats and dogs often leave home to breed and become lost, or worse, hit by a car or shot.

Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem of dog attacks, bites and fighting. Animal shelters are overburdened with surplus animals.

Unaltered animals often exhibit more temperament and behavior problems.

Wanting your children to experience the birth of a litter or enjoy a litter is a nice thought, but teach them the full lesson of irresponsible breeding. A majority of those cute kittens or puppies you are producing will end up homeless or abandoned, especially if you give them away.

&uot;Free to a good home.&uot; Free means in your eyes these animals have no value, while the good home is meaningless unless you are related to these people.

Show your children the litters at the local shelter who want to be held, loved and with any luck find a good home. Show them the older cats and dogs who face euthanasia which at best saves them from suffering as a research subject or starvation.

Is this the lesson you really want to teach your children?

Instead, teach them to be responsible pet people who spay and neuter their pets. Spaying or neutering helps cats and dogs live longer happier lives.

Spaying or neutering makes pets better, more affectionate companions. Spaying or neutering can reduce or eliminate the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very expensive and difficult to treat.

Spaying or neutering eliminates the possibility of uterine, ovarian or testicular cancer.

Spaying or neutering helps to eliminate pet overpopulation.

Spay Day U.S.A. is Feb. 22.

Spay Day U.S.A. was started nine years ago by the Doris Day Animal Foundation to promote the spaying and neutering of companion animals, to raise awareness of the severe overpopulation of companion animals and to promote spay/neuter surgery as a primary means of addressing the pet overpopulation problem.

On SPAY DAY U.S.A. some veterinarians offer special discounts to people who cannot afford the surgery. Check with your family vet to see if he or she offers any special discount. If they don’t, encourage them to do so.

Pet overpopulation is everyone’s problem.

So, Freeborn County residents, get off the couch, turn off the TV and make the call. You and your furry companion will be glad you did.

(Dee Amberg, Vice President, Humane Society of Freeborn County.)