United Spay Alliance (USpA), whose purpose is to eliminate pet suffering and homelessness by promoting affordable access to spay/neuter resources in partnership with state referral programs, has hired experienced Washington, DC lawyer Bruce Myers to lead the recently formed nonprofit organization.
“It is with great excitement that I join the nationwide coalition of passionate people and organizations working to turn back the tide of dog and cat overpopulation,” Myers said.
Esther Mechler, founder and Board President of USpA, added, “Our hiring committee undertook an extensive, national search and we have found an exceptional person to lead the United Spay Alliance.” Mechler is also President of Marian’s Dream, a nonprofit dedicated to the prevention of animal suffering.
Myers previously spent over a decade as a senior policy attorney with the DC-based Environmental Law Institute, a research and education nonprofit. “I intend to bring to United Spay Alliance what I have learned from years of implementing research and educational initiatives in the United States and abroad, collaborating with national networks of experts, and seeking support for a wide range of environmental and animal protection efforts,” he said.
Originally formed in 2005 as a coalition by advocates in various states who wanted to address the urgent issue of pet overpopulation, USpA is today comprised of a partner network of 29 spay/neuter referral programs from Maine to California, and seeks to expand to every state. Aiming to be the national thought leader of the spay/neuter movement, USpA also hosts a free, nationwide spay/neuter program referral locator on its website.
Over the past 15 years, spay/neuter has prevented millions of unwanted litters from being born, averting abuse, suffering, neglect, and needless euthanasia for tens of millions of kittens and puppies. Much work remains, as every 60 seconds, 5 healthy cats and dogs are euthanized in American shelters because there are not enough good homes for them. That’s nearly 3 million animals whose lives are ended each year, just because they were born. Over 20 states do not yet have statewide spay/neuter referral programs in place. And the need is especially great in many under-served communities across the country.
“Spaying and neutering cats and dogs is the number one solution to the pet overpopulation struggle. When the birth rate of kittens and puppies is reduced to align with the number of available, loving homes, shelter intakes will level off and become manageable, and there will be a home for every pet,” Mechler said.
“I envision USpA as a vibrant national organization that serves as an effective hub for our network, provides educational resources and technical assistance, and lends a strong and credible voice to spay/neuter policy initiatives across the country,” Myers said.
Myers also runs a small, DC-based public interest law practice and consultancy that focuses on animal protection priorities, and he volunteers with local animal welfare groups in Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland. He lives in the Washington, DC suburbs with his wife Michelle, who is a veterinarian. They have two dogs and a cat.
