NASCAR Champion Greg Biffle Advocates for Animal Spay/Neuter for National Prevent a Litter Month

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Feb 22, 2010, 04:09 ET

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- February is National Prevent a Litter Month, designed to foster public education and bring attention to the life-saving and vital importance of spaying and neutering our pets. When pets aren't spayed and neutered, the results are overwhelming and ultimately tragic.

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As spokesperson for Spay/USA, a nationwide network and referral service for affordable spay/neuter services and a program of North Shore Animal League America, NASCAR superstar Greg Biffle is championing spay/neuter practices. With the observation of National Prevent a Litter Month, Biffle is confident that by raising awareness more pet owners will follow his lead and alter their pets, leading to a dramatic decrease in euthanasia. The NASCAR champion, the owner of three dogs, likens his passion for animal welfare to his love of auto racing.

"It's vitally important to control the pet overpopulation. There are thousands of puppies and kittens born each day with millions of healthy, but unwanted, animals put to death as a result of overpopulation," cited Biffle. As the voice of Spay/USA, he believes he can influence pet owners to follow his lead and act responsibly.

Esther Mechler, Founder and Director of SPAY/USA, a program of North Shore Animal League America, the world's largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, emphasizes that when pets are not spayed or neutered, the results can be overwhelming.

"A single unspayed female cat, her mate and all of their offspring, producing two litters per year, with approximately three surviving kittens per litter, adds a dozen kittens to the feline population. While that seems to be a rather benign number, the numbers climb very quickly since these kittens can then have another generation of kittens five months later," said Mechler. In addition, she says, there are several million free-roaming, stray and feral cats that reproduce. The needless suffering and euthanasia of millions of pets each year could be easily diminished if each family spay or neuter their own pets or strays they feed, before litters are born.

The Spay/USA website, www.spayusa.org, offers a Public Service Announcement, as well as an interview featuring Greg Biffle regarding the impact of spay/neuter practices.

Biffle and his wife Nicole founded the Greg Biffle Foundation. Among the organization's efforts is to help educate individuals and groups dedicated to animal welfare to become more educated about spay/neuter.

Be a responsible pet owner. Learn more about pet well-being and health, the services of Spay/USA, and the importance of saving the lives of shelter animals at www.AnimalLeague.org.

About Spay/USA

Spay/USA has over 1,000 sterilization programs and clinics nationwide with 7,000 veterinarians in its network. Its goal is to make spay/neuter services within the reach of all and to reduce the numbers of healthy, adoptable cats and dogs euthanized in the United States each year because there are not enough homes for them. Spay/USA is a program of North Shore Animal League America, the world's largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, which places more than 20,000 orphaned animals into loving homes annually. To find out more about the Animal League and Spay/USA visit www.AnimalLeague.org.

About The Greg Biffle Foundation

The Greg Biffle Foundation was established by Greg and Nicole Biffle in 2005 to create awareness and serve as an advocate to improve the well-being of animals by engaging the power and passion of the motorsports industry. The Foundation's popular NASCAR Pets Calendar is one of their biggest sources of revenue. For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.gregbifflefoundation.com.

About North Shore Animal League America

North Shore Animal League America, headquartered in Port Washington, NY, is the world's largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization each year adopting approximately 20,000 pets. Since its founding 1944, it has placed close to 1 million dogs, cats, puppies and kittens into carefully screened homes. The Animal League is home to the Alex Lewyt Veterinary Medical Center, providing 24-hour care for the sheltered pets and annually covers over 10,000 outpatient visits and performs over 14,000 free spay/neuter procedures for every adopted animal. For more information on North Shore Animal League America visit www.AnimalLeague.org.