Last month, a viral phenomenon happened. People around the world donated to their local animal shelters and rescues in honor of Betty White’s 100th birthday. This world-wide phenomenon came to be known as the “Betty White Challenge.”

APS-FH was honored to participate in the challenge. Two of our best friends, Don Pollard and Dave Ralston, graciously offered to match all donations up to $5,000, to help ensure its success.

We are very pleased to report that we raised over $22,800. We are so grateful and would like to thank everyone who helped make our “Betty White Challenge,” such a success.

Ms. White was well known as a life-long animal lover and a strong advocate for animal welfare. As she wrote in her 2011 book, Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo, “My preoccupation with animals is an open secret.” Worldwide, the “Betty White Challenge” raised over $12.7 million through Facebook and Instagram alone. We think she too would be honored.

World Spay Day is a global campaign to encourage the spay and neuter of companion animals and community (feral and stray) cats in an effort to save and significantly improve their lives.

World Spay Day was first started as Spay Day USA by actress/singer Doris Day and the Doris Day Animal League. It was initiated in 1995 when the estimated euthanasia rate in overcrowded shelters was between 14 and 17 million dogs and cats each year – today the rate has dropped to about one million. This annual event has grown across 74 countries, resulting in the spay/neuter of millions of animals.

World Spay Day is celebrated each year on the last Tuesday in February. Here, within our San Juan Island Community, APS-FH has traditionally celebrated World Spay (and Neuter) Day by hosting its annual “Spay-ghetti” dinner to bring attention to the effectiveness of spay/neuter in preventing the birth of unwanted litters.

Last year, due to COVID-19, we had to cancel this event. Unfortunately, again this year due to COVID-19, we are not able to gather in person to celebrate the success of national spay/neuter efforts and acknowledge the need to continue. Although we will miss the fun of gathering together, we wanted you to know that APS-FH continues to focus on this important work in our community.

Through our Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program APS-FH is actively working to protect SJI songbirds by managing and reducing in numbers the island’s homeless, free-roaming (community) cat colonies.

Trap-Neuter-Return is a humane, non-lethal alternative to the trap-and-kill method of controlling homeless cat populations. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a management technique in which free-roaming (community) cats are humanely trapped, evaluated, vaccinated, and sterilized by a licensed veterinarian, and then returned to their original habitat – ideally with a caretaker agreeing to provide shelter and feed/water regularly.

TNR means fewer cats, which means fewer threats to birds. Other factors pose more serious threats to bird populations.

Undeniably, the largest threat to birds is loss or degradation of habitat resulting from human development and agriculture. In fact, in a 2013 National Geographic article, Ken Rosenberg, director of conservation science at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, says that “the top three threats to birds overall are habitat loss, habitat loss, and habitat loss.” Other significant hazards to bird populations, recognized by experts worldwide, include chemical toxins and direct exploitation from hunting or capturing birds for pets.

Although no studies support the misleading claims that cats are destroying songbird populations, there’s no disputing that cats do, in fact, kill birds. The point that must be emphasized is that fewer cats mean less predation. That being the case, TNR should not be condemned because of potential threats to wildlife, but rather embraced so that free roaming populations can be curtailed as efficiently as possible to minimize potential predatory behavior.

The APS-FH TNR Program does the following to help decrease and manage free roaming community cats while reducing their impact on SJI songbirds:

Fortunately, San Juan Island is a small island with a natural water boundary (cats can’t swim over from the mainland). These factors increase our TNR program’s ability to effectively control the island’s community cat population. Through a community effort of communication, education, volunteerism, and by having the resource of APS-FH’s Spay/Neuter Clinic, we can imagine potential elimination or significant decline in SJI community cat numbers and improved protection of our songbirds.

Last year, on World Spay Day, APS-FH officially announced the launch of the “APS-FH Spay/Neuter Clinic.”

According to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: “Cost is the reason most often cited by owners for not having their dogs and cats spayed or neutered. People with low incomes are nearly as likely to own pets as are people with high incomes, indicating that many animals live in households that simply cannot afford full-service veterinary care.” On San Juan Island, 10.2 percent of people live in poverty.

To address this need, APS-FH has expanded our current services to provide in-house, high-quality spaying and neutering of dogs and cats to qualifying low-income residents. (Please note, we no longer offer vouchers for low-income discounts, as we are able to provide spay/neuter services at our APS-FH Low Income Spay/Neuter Clinic located at the animal shelter – 938 Cattle Point Road in Friday Harbor.)

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from our services, here is some additional information:

You must be a current resident of San Juan County and qualify as a low-income household per the guidelines below:

Proof of income may be required to receive services.

If you, or someone you know, need additional financial assistance to afford these services, please call 360-378-2158 or email us at shelter@apsfh.com prior to scheduling your appointment. If your request for financial assistance is approved, fees will be adjusted at the time of payment.

APS-FH offers spay/neuter services with additional add-ons of microchipping, basic vaccinations, and flea treatment. (These additional services are currently only available to spay/neuter surgical patients.)

Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) cats are accepted any Tuesday, but please call in advance if you are planning to start trapping.

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from our services, please call the shelter. More information can be found on our website at www.apsfh.com.

We at APS-FH are dedicated to support our community in the spay/neuter effort. To further assist our low-income residents, APS-FH is actively raising funds for those who need additional financial assistance.

Signs to look for if you think your cat has ingested the plant: Vomiting, lack of appetite, lethargy, kidney failure, and death is possible. Cats are only the species known to be affected.

If you suspect your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, contact your local veterinarian immediately.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) is another resource for any animal poisoning-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. That number is: (888) 426-4435. A consultation fee may apply.

shelter@apsfh.com • (360) 378-2159