More than a dozen institutions are currently researching the development of a non-surgical sterilant for companion animals in effort to curb pet overpopulation.

It took years of campaigning to change thinking about sterilizing pets, but it has paid off. This year fewer than 4 million unwanted dogs and cats will be euthanized, down from as many as 20 million before 1970.

Each year, rabies kills more than 55,000 people worldwide. In 99% of fatal cases, humans contracted the disease through exposure to rabid dogs.

Found Animals, what a great story! An orthopedic surgeon invents new tools for his craft, becomes a billionaire, and decides to start a Foundation to benefit animals.

The retired orthopedic surgeon has invented hundreds of instruments, implants and procedures to improve spinal surgeries. With his fortune he supports causes including animal welfare, medical research, online textbooks and tropical rain forests.

An interdisciplinary team of University of Virginia researchers has been awarded a shot at a $25 million prize to develop a nonsurgical method for sterilizing cats and dogs.

There’s little doubt that we Americans love our pets. According to the American Pet Products Association, we’ll spend an estimated $47.7 billion on our non-human dependents this year alone.

Science magazine writer/editor David Grimm examines the global epidemic of dog and cat deaths and the $75 million program funded by a doctor’s foundation that could offer the solution.

Medical inventor Gary Michelson got rich waging lonely battles against big companies. Now he wants to spend much of his $2 billion to save unwanted dogs and cats.