“SPOT Globally is a nonprofit that was established less than a year ago. It connects developing nations all over the world, including Thailand, Italy, South Africa, Philippines, Nepal, Mexico, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Cook Islands, and India. We dedicate our work to really improving the lives of stray and homeless animals.

“There are two to three hundred people, at least, involved in SPOT Globally. There are a lot of adults involved, but the adults are more supporters. It’s the youth that are actually going out and doing the fundraising, and actually running the entire program. They look at our website for facts and they ask for our brochures. It’s a big network and a chain of people.

“Our main initiative is spaying and neutering animals. Our 12 project sites all over the world are where the animal overpopulation crisis is at its peak right now, where the problem is most prevalent. I contacted legitimate organizations that either already have a spaying and neutering program intact, or that at the moment just work with stray animals in general. If they don’t have a spaying and neutering program, I help them establish one.

“A lot of our work is educating the public about capturing strays and spaying and neutering them, which is sterilization. I go and I travel to these project sites every year. Last summer I traveled to India and donated a lump sum of money and my time as an advocate for the cause.

“This year, we are creating brochures, pamphlets and presentations for the project sites so they can use them in their country to hand out to their native people.”

Filming and Fundraising

“A lot of the work has to do with spaying and neutering, and that is straight up money. We do bring supplies, like Frontline, which is a flea and insect repellent, and some surgical supplies, but overall we’re looking for donations. To ask for those donations we are creating a documentary. It’s going to be online and we’re going to be distributing it free. I’m going to be working on the documentary in Bangkok, highlighting the shelter, the work that we do, and certain stories. It’s going to be an ongoing documentary with all the project sites. So that will serve as a major form of educational advocacy.

“A lot of the people in our communities don’t know what spaying and neutering is, they don’t know about the overpopulation endemic all over the world, they just don’t know what SPOT Globally does.”

Paws, Claws, and Leadership

“We also run a summer camp/seminar called Paws and Claws targeted for kids in grades three through five. I created this initiative last year. It’s a weeklong summer camp, and was very, very successful. The kids learn about what they can do, animal welfare, overpopulation and protection in their community. We base it completely around service projects and service learning. It’s interactive, hands-on learning from the animals.

“We’ve created a program for high schoolers called the High School Leaders Program. Participants get toolkits with stickers, info packets, presentations they can make in their school or community, and a pledge that they can get at least 200 people to sign, about humanely treating animals. The high schoolers also get an adult mentor. The program teaches leadership skills, and helps them learn about animal welfare crisis.”

Saving Lives, Fighting Stigma

“Spaying and neutering one puppy can save up to 25,000 dogs in nine years. For one kitten, it can save up to 14 million cats in nine years. One cat makes seven kittens in a litter, and that’s in one heat, and those seven make another seven, etcetera. SPOT focuses the work in developing countries where they don’t have the funds or facilities to run their own programs.

“A major problem we face is a stigma toward animals and strays. The stigma in India, one of the SPOT Globally project sites, is completely insurmountable. I’m Indian. The thing that inspired me to do this work was what I had seen in India.

“Being an activist is in my blood. I grew up with animals, so something like this, very close to my heart, came naturally to me. My school and family taught me leadership and encouraged a global interconnection. I have been into service learning and activities, all my life.”

Learn More

Check out the website of SPOT Globally to find out how you can get involved. http://www.spotglobally.org/

Ayna was featured on the U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s girlshealth.gov in 2008. http://www.girlshealth.gov/spotlight/2008/2008.11.cfm

The American Humane Association has additional information on spaying and neutering pets. http://www.americanhumane.org/protecting-animals/adoption-pet-care/care/spaying-neutering.html

Mission: Humane (a.k.a. Humane Teen) is a program of the American Humane Association geared toward teens.
http://www.humaneteen.org/?q=node/44