Dog & Cat Overpopulation Our dog and cat overpopulation in Northeast Iowa continues to climb. We are seeing an increasing number of stray dogs and dog groups surrendered. Homeless cats continue to pour in, especially during kitten season. The more homeless animals we have, the higher the rate of diseases that can spread to family pets. The good news is we can manage this with networking and united work efforts, which will decrease the suffering and deaths of homeless cats and the spread of diseases to family pets. By working together, we can get this under control. Studies have shown that a Community Spay/Neuter initiative needs all four of the following components to be successful: *High-volume spay/neuter facilities *Veterinarians and technicians working together to offer reasonable medical fees for spay/neuter surgeries *Educated community members who understand the value and promote the need for spaying/neutering pets *Sufficient funding to provide surgery for homeless cats and dogs in addition to financial assistance for pet families in need