The Problem We Coloradoans love our pets: they are our best friends, companions, and members of our families. And thanks to the invaluable work of animal organizations in all parts of the state, more than 90,000 companion animals were adopted from Colorado animal care and control organizations in 2006. While we are pleased that many of our furry friends have found homes, we are also sadly aware that tens of thousands of animals in Colorado were not so lucky.

By controlling the number of animals reproducing, we can reduce the number of pets that must be destroyed. Last year alone, over 43,000 pets were euthanized due to a shortage of adopting homes in Colorado. Many animals are not being spayed or neutered, leading to random breeding.

In six years, a female dog and her offspring can produce up to 67,000 other dogs. A female cat and her offspring can produce up to a startling 420,000 kittens in just seven years. Educating animal owners about excess pet births and subsidizing spay/neuter programs in underserved areas could significantly curb pet overpopulation.

CPOF The Colorado Pet Overpopulation Fund (CPOF) was established by the Colorado Legislature to promote and fund spay/neuter surgeries and public education for responsible pet ownership. In 2006, 4,983 spay/neuter surgeries were performed as a result of the state check-off fund. The fund has surpassed 26,500 spay/neuter surgeries in the five years since the first grants were awarded.

Mission The Fund's goal is to eliminate euthanasia of dogs and cats in Colorado that result from random breeding. We believe this can be accomplished in two ways -- by subsidizing spay/neuter services, and by supporting public education programs throughout Colorado.

Thanks to Colorado animal lovers who contribute to this effort, the Fund is able to make grants to local programs that show promise of reducing pet overpopulation in underserved areas of the state. Animal care and control organizations and local veterinarians are working together to ensure that pets will no longer die needlessly in Colorado.

Please donateCACVT encourages Colorado taxpayers to contribute this year and every year towards this worthwhile cause. For more information, please visit http://www.savecoloradopets.org/ or call 303-722-6435. Thank you for your assistance!

For information on Colorado Tax Check-offs, please visit http://www.checkoffcolorado.org/. Checkoff Colorado is a groundbreaking, collaborative, statewide public awareness campaign designed to raise awareness about check-off giving.

Information reprinted from http://www.savecoloradopets.org/.