Spay Maine
Working to reduce Maine’s cat and dog euthanasias by supporting Help Fix ME, Maine’s state-wide low-income spay/neuter program for cats and dogs.
   What is Spay Maine? Spay Maine is a consortium of Maine’s animal shelters, rescue groups, animal control officers and animal welfare advocates who are working together to decrease animal shelter intakes and euthanasias by working to secure and maintain funding for Maine’s state-wide spay/neuter program called Help Fix ME. This program is designed to assist low-income pet owners with spaying/neutering their pets.
Tell your cat and dog-loving friends about Maine’s
New Tax Check Off!
Because there aren’t enough homes for all of them…
Maine’s State Tax Form now has a check-off box called
The Companion Animal Sterilization Fund
You can donate to this fund by checking a box on your
2008 State Income Tax Return!
It's easy! Just check the box beside "Companion Animal Sterilization Fund"
and indicate how much you are donating!
r $5 r r $10 r $25 r Other $___
 
The Companion Animal Sterilization Fund
will be used to save lives by:
  • Spaying/Neutering Cats and Dogs
  • Preventing Unwanted Litters
  • Lowering Shelter Intakes
  • Lowering Shelter Euthanasias
  • Reducing the Number of Feral cats
  • Reducing Dog Bites
THE GOOD NEWS:
    Help Fix ME, run by the State of Maine Animal Welfare Program, had a very active year last year. The program paid for 2400 spay and neuters all around the state.These were surgeries that very likely never would have been performed without the Help Fix ME program. Knowing that cats are our major problem in Maine, it is good to know that three quarters of the surgeries were for cats. These are cats that will not produce more cats to end up homeless, feral or in our shelters.

    We are fortunate not to have a dog overpopulation problem in Maine. However, the price of a dog spay or neuter is out of the reach of many low-income Mainers. This program will help keep dog overpopulation at bay.

    This year just from July 1, 2008 to August 2, 2008 Help Fix ME sent out 2400 applications! This year looks like it will be even busier than last.
NOW THE BAD NEWS:
    Maine definitely has a cat overpopulation problem. Just ask any shelter worker. Unfortunately, unless donations are received, Help Fix ME will again have to shut down it's program long before the end of the fiscal year. If donations are received the phone lines will be able to remain open. The demand for Help Fix ME spay/neuter vouchers is overwhelming and unrelenting as was demonstrated by 2400 applications being requested in just one month. Though this spay/neuter program is a resounding success, scarce funding is limiting the good work we can do towards reducing shelter intakes and needless euthanasias.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP?

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

  1. Check the box: When you fill out your Maine tax return, remember the “tax check offs.” Help Fix ME has a tax check off that funds the program where you can check a box to donate as little or as much as you want. Go to Schedule CP in the tax form and look for the cat and dog logo, it will say The Companion Animal Sterilization Fund. Check a box! It’s easy! You can go here to get a copy of the tax check off form, Schedule CP: http://mainegov-images.informe.org/revenue/forms/1040/2008/08_ScheduleCP.pdf

  2. Mail a donation: You can donate directly to the program by mailing a check to:
    Animal Welfare Program
    28 State House Station
    Augusta, ME 04333
    (make check out to: Treasurer of State. In the memo line make sure to write: for Help Fix ME only)
        Donations to Help Fix ME are tax deductible and placed into The Companion Animal Sterilization Fund to be used solely for spaying and neutering.

  3. Tell your cat and dog-loving friends about Maine’s New Tax Check Off!
For more information Call HELP FIX ME!
at 1.800.367.1317
Or go to the Animal Welfare Program’s web site at:
http://maine.gov/agriculture/aw/fixme.html

   If you have any questions you can click here to email Susan Hall.