Two people dressed in condom costumes stood on the corner of South Salina and West Fayette Street Wednesday afternoon to raise awareness of feral cats and dogs. From noon to 1 p.m., volunteer Dana Silvester and Cassandra Callaghan wore blue and pink condom costumes and held signs that encouraged people to spray and neuter their pets, said Lauren Stroyeck,...
Two people dressed in condom costumes stood on the corner of South Salina and West Fayette Street Wednesday afternoon to raise awareness of feral cats and dogs.
From noon to 1 p.m., volunteer Dana Silvester and Cassandra Callaghan wore blue and pink condom costumes and held signs that encouraged people to spray and neuter their pets, said Lauren Stroyeck, event organizer and campaigner with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
“For humans, preventing unwanted pregnancies is as easy as just putting on a condom. But for the thousands of animals who need birth control, they can’t even open the wrapper,” Stroyeck said. “It’s our responsibility to do what is humane and right for the animals by spaying and nudering. It not only prevents millions of animals from ending up in shelters every year, but it also helps them live longer and healthier lives.”
Each year, more than six million cats and dogs end up in American shelters, Stroyeck said.
While Silvester and Callaghan danced and waved at cars driving by, Jan Markarian handed out pink fliers with spay and neutering information.
“It’s such a crisis,” said Markarian, who is a member of the Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse. “The only way to address it is if we all work together — local, state and federal level — and really have a pro-active, no-cost, spay-and-neuter policy.”
Stroyeck, Silvester and Callaghan will travel to Buffalo on Friday where they will put on a similar demonstration.
Contact Fernando Alfonso III at falfonso@syracuse.com.