 | Lucky Star Spay Neuter Program News
A Publication of the Lucky Star Spay Neuter Program
12 Birch Lane Morristown, NJ 07960 Email: luckystarprogram@att.net
Volume 113 December 2022 |
 | |
| Our Mission: To gather, recognize and celebrate the continuing annual commitment of each of our member veterinarians to provide some level of absolutely free spay neuter services to the needy animals of their choice, along with any other free services they choose to provide. |
Our Lucky Stars
We are proud to present this roster of Lucky Star Veterinarians. Together these professionals have generously pledged 606 absolutely free spay neuter surgeries & other free services for needy animals of their choice in 2022, for which they have our utmost admiration and thanks:
Dr. Erno Hollo & Dr. Melissa Rotella, Basking Ridge Animal Hospital
Dr. Harvey E. Hummel, Andover Animal Hospital, Newton
Dr. Danci Mock, West Caldwell Animal Hospital
Dr. Maritza Perez, West Orange Animal Hospital
Dr. P. Picone, Audubon Veterinary Associates
Dr. Sandra Stalder-Frey, Alpha Veterinary Care
Dr. Carolyn Wooley, MCSNIP, Pennington
Dr. David Croman, Medical Director, People for Animals,Inc., Hillside, Robbinsville & Millville
DARTING ELEPHANTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Inside a unique program that prevents cruelty to elephants in South Africa While African elephant #’s R declining, in So.Africa they R being squeezed into smaller pockets of their former home ranges due to habitat loss & conflicts w/humans. They often wander to farmland or neighboring reserves where they are unwelcome. Traditionally, the “solution” to this is to kill elephants.Within these enclosed reserves, elephants can quickly repro-duce—doubling every 10-15yrs. In a program launched in 1996, trained experts dart selected free-ranging elephants (1,530 so far) with a locally produced,non-hormonal, reversible contraceptive vaccine causing an immune response preventing pregnancy. This immune-contraception program is now officially legislated by So.Africa's government, & nearly 50 elephant reserves have adopted this population control method over culling, transforming elephant management there.
A LOOK AHEAD TO 2023
Oct 2023 will mark Lucky Star’s 20th Year!
RAISING THE FOCUS ON S/N
Editorial: Appeals abound for $ for care of endless #’s of cats & dogs, for more shelter space, & more animalcare staff, volunteers, adopters,fosters & $ to transport animals elsewhere. Rare are appeals to fund S/N or reports of efforts to provide S/N to the extent required. Yet the “excess” of animals needing homes & care will never be resolved unless S/N receives much more attention and funding. Sadly, S/N is not known to bring in donations as do photos of cute or injured puppies & kittens. We can each help by taking every opportunity to put more focus on S/N by: (1) earmarking our donations specifically for S/N (2) lobbying with all levels ofgovernment for more resources for S/N (3) letting corporate sponsors of animal charities know of the importance of S/N. Our individual actions, added to those of others, can have an impact. S/N deserves that focus & support.
A CARE2 PETITION RE AFFORDABLE S/N
Many are likely familiar w/ “Care2” Care2 is the world's largest social network for good, a community of over 40 million people standing together, starting petitions and sharing stories that inspire action. I was surprised to see a petition titled “S/N Surgeries aren’t Affordable-States should help cover the Costs” which the originator (not me!) plans to send to all US Governors. On 11-7-22 it had 45,300+ signatures.(Not taking exception 2 the “needles”, I signed the “hay stack” to help get this import-ant topic the attention deserved.) Link: petition: Spay and Neuter Surgeries Aren't Affordable. States Should Help Cover the Cost. (thepetitionsite.com)
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY?
Animal advocates urged to help in ending shelter crisis (veterinarypracticenews.com) Per Mars Petcare:“Animal shelters across North America are in a crisis.In support of its mission to end pet homelessness, Mars Petcare has launched Service Humans Needed, a shelter volunteer program aimed at enlisting the help of animals advocates to help community shelters and pets in need.” (A worthy effort BUT also a great opportunity to contact Mars Pet Care,which I did, Contact Us | Mars, Incorporated to suggest that their efforts should include a BIG S/N effort as a top priority.)
NEXT ISSUE: FEBRUARY 1ST 2023
 Lucky Star News Vol 113 December 2022.pdf |
|