Outreach campaign to address pet overpopulation

New Orleans - 10/18/07 - A new partnership dubbed "After Katrina: Improving the Lives of Gulf Coast Dogs & Cats," will provide grant money to Louisiana and Mississippi-based shelter facilities, while promoting the importance of spay and neutering.

The Humane Society of the United States and Maddie's Fund , a pet-rescue organization, have teamed up with animal services and sheltering facilities to address pet overpopulation while improving the lives of shelter dogs and cats.

Fueled by the results of a research initiative last fall, HSUS and Maddie's Fund will allocate $20,000 cash grants to Louisiana and Mississippi organizations that agree to track and share animal intake and outcome figures for 2005-2010. More than $850,000 is planned for disbursement to 54 shelters across the two states to help fund capacity-building, low-cost spay-neuter programs, new equipment for surgical suites, better disease control systems and building improvements.

HSUS estimates that Louisiana and Mississippi animal shelters take in an estimated 230,000 abandoned dogs and cats each year. The 54 shelters that agreed to participate in the "After Katrina" program handle 88 percent of the states' impounded animals.

Results of the preliminary research conducted last fall are available here .