Spay Day USA!

What is Spay Day USA?
Spay Day USA is the Doris Day Animal Foundation's national campaign to save the lives of homeless animals through the spay or neuter of our pets and feral cats. Since Spay Day USA's inception in 1995, event participants - like PAWS Chicago - have spayed or neutered over 1,225,000 cats, dogs and other animals, saving millions of animal lives and taxpayer dollars!

If your school would like to participate, click here for the 2008 participation form.

2008 SPAY DAY ACTIVITIES

Activity Option #1

Blanket/Towel/Newspaper Drive (All Grades)

  • Participate in a blanket/towel/newspaper drive in the month of February ending on Spay Day Feb. 26
  • Canvass the neighborhood, set up a table at a library or grocery store, start a collection at church, or have parents start a collection at work.
  • All of the items will be donated to PAWS Chicago to help the animals.
  • While the students are asking for donations they will also be asked to distribute spay/neuter flyers to spread the word about our free services.
  • Each participating class will receive a gift and the class/group who brings in the most items will receive PAWS Chicago t-shirts and a tour of the Lurie Family Spay Neuter Clinic or the New Adoption Center.

Activity Option #2

Bake Sale (All Grades)

  • Participate in a bake sale at school, church or a community center by Spay Day Feb. 26.
  • Participants will be asked to distribute PAWS Chicago spay/neuter flyers during the bake sale.
  • Each class that participates will receive a gift.
  • The class/group that brings in the most money from the bake sale will receive a free PAWS T-shirt and a tour of the Lurie Family Spay Neuter Clinic or the New Adoption Center.
  • The money collected will be used to help fund the spay and neuter of animals at PAWS Chicago.

Activity Option #3

Poster Contest (All Grades)

  • Participate in a poster contest by Spay Day Feb. 26.
  • Design a poster that shows the importance of spaying and neutering (information will be provided about overpopulation, reasons to S/N and myths, etc.).
  • Choose a place to display so the maximum number of people are exposed to the message - at school, in a library, a community center, at church…etc.
  • Participants will be asked to distribute PAWS Chicago spay/neuter flyers to people viewing the display of posters.
  • The class can vote on the winning poster which will be hung in the Lurie Family Spay/Neuter Clinic, and posted on the PAWS Chicago website.
  • The classrooms that participate will receive free gifts, the student whose poster is chosen as the best by his/her class will receive a PAWS Chicago t-shirt and a tour of the clinic or adoption center.

Activity Option #4

Short Presentation (Grades 7, 8 - High School)

  • Participate in a Humane Education presentation for another class (either the same age group or younger) by Spay Day Feb. 26.
  • Topics will include the importance of spaying and neutering, and how not to get bit by a dog.
  • Materials including a DVD and training will be provided.
  • Students will be required to distribute free S/N information to their audience.
  • The classrooms that participate by presenting to another class or group will receive free t-shirts and a tour of either the Lurie Family S/N Clinic or the New Adoption Center.

Activity Option #5

Tabling Event (Grades 5-8, High School)

  • Participate in a tabling event at school (either during recess, lunchtime, in the morning, or after school) by Spay Day Feb. 26.
  • Set up a table advertising the importance of spaying and neutering. Create posters and/or flyers to display on the table.
  • S/N Flyers and other educational materials will be provided.
  • The classes that participate will receive a free gift.
  • The classroom that passes out the most materials will receive free t-shirts and a tour of either the Lurie Family S/N Clinic or the New Adoption Center.


Activity Option #6

Misty, the One in a Million Cat (Grades K-8)

  • Read a short story with your students about the importance of spaying and neutering cats before Spay Day Feb. 26.
  • Students can create their own stories about spaying and neutering
  • Read the stories to another class room.
  • Each class that participates will receive a free gift.
  • Have students vote on the best story, and the student that wins will have his/her story published on the PAWS Chicago website and will receive a free PAWS Chicago t-shirt and a tour of either the Lurie Family S/N Clinic or the New Adoption Center.

Gifts/Prizes

  • Participation gifts include pens, magnets, coloring books, Frisbees, key chains, etc.
  • Prizes include PAWS Chicago t-shirts and tours of the Lurie Family S/N Clinic or the New Adoption Center.


Materials available for use

DVD/Videos
Humane Education Curriculum
Misty the One in a Million Cat
Itty Bitty Bite Books
Coloring Books
Information packets (s/n flyers, responsible pet care, dog fighting, etc)