(NAPSA)—A charming puppy and kitten will be featured on new 37-cent First-Class Neuter or Spay postage stamps to be issued by the U.S. Postal Service in September. The Neuter or Spay stamps show a male puppy and a female kitten that were photographed in a Connecticut animal shelter while awaiting adoption. The puppy was neutered and the kitten was spayed and both were adopted into loving homes. The sheets of stamps also feature a toll-free telephone num- ber, 1-888-PETS911, and a Web site address, www.pets911.com printed on the selvage of each pane of 20 stamps. These resources can be used by cus- tomers to obtain additional neuter and spay information. The Neuter or Spay stamps will be issued at the 125th National Humane Conference, which is a celebration of the American HumaneAssociation. The stamps go on sale nationwide at all post offices on September20. This is the first time that the U.S. Postal Service has issued stamps featuring a pet cat and dog since the popular 13-cent stamp of a kitten and puppy issued in 1982 and the Bright Eyes stamps issued in 1998. These are also thefirst U.S. postage stampsto call attention to the pressing issue of pet overpopulation. The stampsare the result of a grassroots campaign by thousandsofcitizens, community leaders, animal health and welfare organizations, veteri- narians andcelebrities. The photographs of the puppy and kitten were taken by Sally Andersen-Bruce of New Milford, Conn. Derry Noyes of Washington, D.C., was designer and art director for the stamps. The Postal Service has the sup- port of the American Partnership for Pets (APP), the American Soci- ety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and other animal health and welfare groups to promote the issuance of the Neuter or Spay stamps. To see all of the 2002 stamps, go to www.usps.com/shop. Under “Collector’s Corner,” click on “Release Schedule,” or click on “Stamp Issues” to see images of many past and future stamps.
