WHEREAS,  more than 20,435 dogs and cats entered the 8 largest animal shelters in Maine, out of 100 licensed shelters, during 2007, the most recent year for which substantial data is available; and

WHEREAS,  approximately 40% of these animals were not reclaimed by their owners or were not adopted by new owners and therefore were euthanized; and

WHEREAS,  in many instances the animals are young, healthy and friendly creatures that are euthanized simply because there are not enough good homes for them; and

WHEREAS,  an additional unknown number of Maine animals die each year due to abandonment, neglect, abuse, starvation or cruelty; and

WHEREAS,  the cost to State Government and nonprofit agencies of handling and euthanizing discarded animals is estimated to exceed tens of millions of dollars per year; and

WHEREAS,  the spaying or neutering of dogs and cats helps solve this tragic and costly problem by reducing the number of dogs and cats that end up in shelters; and

WHEREAS,  it is the intent of the Legislature to support a strong policy in the State of animal shelters' aggressively promoting spay and neuter programs to reduce pet overpopulation; and

WHEREAS,  residents of the State can contribute to this effort by spaying or neutering their own companion animals and by supporting programs in their communities that offer accessible spay and neuter services, including the state-run Help Fix ME program; and

WHEREAS,  veterinarians, humane societies, animal control agencies and national and local animal welfare organizations join together to advocate the spaying or neutering of dogs and cats on "Spay Day USA 2010," an annual campaign of the Humane Society of the United States; now, therefore, be it