Every day across the country, thousands of puppies and kittens are born. Sound like good news? Actually, it isn't. There aren't enough good homes for all of those babies. Of all the puppies and kittens brought to animal shelters each year, about half never find homes. Millions more cats and dogs are abandoned to become homeless, lonely, hungry strays.

Two simple operations would prevent these unwanted animals from being born. Spay and neuter surgeries stop pets from having more babies. Making sure your own pets are spayed or neutered is a big step toward fighting pet overpopulation. When pets unexpectedly have puppies or kittens, most people explain that they just hadn't gotten around to having them spayed yet. Don't wait until it's too late. Plus, pets who have these operations are usually healthier and live longer. Talk to your vet today!

If you still need convincing (or need help convincing your parents!), check out this printable booklet, put together by students at the Pauly School in Bakersfield, California. If your family needs help getting your pets spayed or neutered, click here.