How a spayathon works. Behind the scenes of a sterilization marathon

Two of the dogs that took part in the spayathon

The goal at our Romanian shelter, Footprints of Joy, is to sterilize 80 animals in over just two days as part of our monthly spayathon sterilization marathon.

This makes for very two intense days at the shelter, as we focus primarily on the cats and dogs living locally whose owners otherwise wouldn’t have access to such services. Many families cannot afford to pay for sterilization privately or are generally unfamiliar with the practice.

What does a sterilization marathon entail?

June’s spayathon

The term “spayathon” comes from the English words “spay“, which means ‘to sterilize’ and “marathon”, thereby highlighting the number of animals treated and the duration of the event.

Read Also: Do you know 67,000 people who are willing to adopt a puppy?

The spayathons always start very early in the morning when people bring their pets into the clinic, but our preparation begins a few days earlier when we compile the list of animals to be treated.

We also have to prepare all the necessary documents for each animal and set up the outdoor patio to ensure that each pet has a safe place to stay throughout the day.

What happens during a spayathon sterilization marathon

We schedule arrival times at the spayathon for each participant

We schedule arrival times for each participant and, upon registration, assign a number to each dog or cat. This number helps us keep track of the animal throughout the event and ensures that all documents are correctly associated with the right pet.

Every animal therefore has a folder containing all their information and their family’s details.

After registration, the owners are given time to say goodbye to their pets. We then help place the animals in their designated areas and cover them, minimizing stress by isolating them from external distractions.

The family owners return to collect their pets in the evening, after the anesthesia has worn off. Some participants are unable to transport their animals, as not everyone has access to a vehicle or a way to get to our center. Many are elderly people who care for several animals simultaneously and have no means of transport. In such cases, we offer to pick up and return the animals to their homes.

The spayathons also serve to raise awareness

The term “spayathon” comes from the English words “spay”, which means ‘to sterilize’ and “marathon”, thereby highlighting the number of animals treated and the duration of the event

The animals all wake up calmly in their carriers in the afternoon, and once they have recovered from the anesthesia, we contact their families and ask them to come and pick them up.

This is when we aim to have a chat with them and educate them on the proper care of their animals.

Most of the dogs and cats brought in for these events are left free to roam the streets and thus reproduce, exacerbating the already critical situation of canine and feline overpopulation.

These events provide the best opportunity to engage directly with the local community and see if there are any additional ways we can assist them.

An estimated 200 million dogs are living on the streets worldwide

There are more than 200 million dogs living on the streets worldwide, and the number is even higher for stray cats. Many more animals are confined in overcrowded shelters, kennels, and catteries, with the unlikely possibility of ever being adopted.

To understand the enormity of this problem, consider that a pair of adult dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in just six years. This staggering number illustrates the gravity of the situation.

It is for this reason that Save the Dogs has initiated sterilization campaigns in Italy, Romania, and Ukraine: sterilization tackles the root cause of overpopulation (continuous litters), as well as its effects (abandonment).