Printer Friendly
Philatelic News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2002
Stamp Release #02-057
CUTE PUPPY AND KITTEN HIGHLIGHT 'NEUTER OR SPAY'
MESSAGE ON NEW STAMPS
Beloved Companion Animals Star on Newest Social Awareness Stamps
MESSAGE ON NEW STAMPS
Beloved Companion Animals Star on Newest Social Awareness Stamps
WASHINGTON – A bright-eyed puppy and kitten will be featured on two new 37-cent First-Class Neuter or Spay commemorative stamps to be issued by the U.S. Postal Service on Sept. 20, 2002, in Denver, Colo. The Neuter or Spay first day of issue ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. (MDT) on Friday, Sept. 20, at The National Humane Conference. This 125th annual conference celebrates the American Humane Association and is being held in the Adam's Mark Hotel in Denver.
"I share my home with pets and value the love and attention we exchange," said Ernesta Ballard, member of the presidentially appointed Board of Governors of the Postal Service, who will dedicate the stamps. "I am very pleased that the Postal Service will offer these stamps to help educate people about the importance of spaying and neutering. Stamps have been successfully used to highlight many important social issues. I expect these stamps to be popular and circulate their important message widely," said Ballard.
The Neuter or Spay stamps, designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, D.C., portray a male puppy and a female kitten photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce in a Connecticut animal shelter while they were awaiting adoption. Each was subsequently neutered or spayed and adopted into a loving home.
These stamps, 200 million of which will be printed, go on sale nationwide Sept. 20. The selvage of the pane of 20 stamps features a toll-free telephone number, 1-888-pets911, and a Web site address, www.pets911.com, for customers to obtain additional neuter and spay information. An estimated 70,000 cats and dogs are born each day in the United States. Animal shelters and veterinarians urge pet owners to spay or neuter their pets to combat the problem of animal overpopulation. Neutering and spaying pets can also lead to better health and longer lives.
Previous U.S. stamps featuring a pet cat and dog include the popular 13-cent stamp of a kitten and puppy issued in 1982 and the 32-cent Bright Eyes stamps issued in 1998. Several breeds of cats appeared on the block of four 22-cent American Cats stamps in 1988, and a puppy appeared on the 22-cent Love stamp issued in 1986. In addition, a frolicking dog was featured on the 5-cent Humane Treatment of Animals stamp in 1966. The issuance of the Neuter or Spay stamps is the culmination of a grassroots campaign by thousands of citizens, community leaders, animal health and welfare organizations, veterinarians and celebrities.
The Postal Service has the support of the American Partnership for Pets (APP), an unprecedented coalition of leading and influential animal health and welfare organizations, community animal care and control organizations and veterinarians. These groups under APP have united to use the stamps as a tangible tool to raise awareness of spay/neuter as a part of responsible pet ownership (www.americanpartnershipforpets.org). The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and other animal health and welfare groups, are also supporting the issuance of the Neuter or Spay stamps.
To see the Neuter or Spay stamps, visit the Postal Service Web site at www.usps.com and locate the online version of this press release by clicking on "News and Events" then "Philatelic News."
Current U.S. stamps, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available toll free by calling 1 800 STAMP-24. In addition, a selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available in the Postal Store at www.usps.com.
# # #
Technical Details
Issue: Neuter or Spay
Item Number: 452500
Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent Commemorative
Format: Pane of 20 (2 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 20, 2002, Denver, CO 80202
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Photographer: Sally Andersen-Bruce, New Milford, CT
Modeler: Donald H. Woo
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: Sennett Security Products (SSP)
Printed at: American Packaging Corporation, Columbus, WI
Press Type: Rotomec, 3000
Engraver: Armotek Industries
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 200 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Block
Gum Type: Pressure Sensitive
Processed at: Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
Colors: Magenta, Cyan, Yellow, Black, Line black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.41 x 1.075 in./35.81 x 27.31 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in./39.62 x 31.12 mm
Pane Size (w x h): 7.458 x 7.625 in./189.43 x 193.68 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "S" followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings: "© 2001 USPS" - Price - Plate numbers in all four corners - Plate position diagram - Header
Catalog Item Number(s): 452540 Pane of 20 w/plate no & Header — $7.40
452530 Block of 10 — $3.70
452520 Block of 4 — $1.48
452563 First Day Cover (set of 2) — $1.50
452593 Pane of 20 & First Day Cover (set of 2) — $8.90
How to Order the First Day of Issue Postmark
Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 1 800-STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to: NEUTER OR SPAY COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS, POSTMASTER, 951 20TH ST, DENVER CO 80202-9991.
After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by Oct. 21, 2002.
Stamp Fulfillment Services (SFS) also offers first day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by telephoning 1 800-STAMP-24 or writing to: INFORMATION FULFILLMENT, DEPT 6270, US POSTAL SERVICE, PO BOX 219014, KANSAS CITY, MO 64121-9014. First day covers remain on sale at least one year after the stamp's issuance.
# # #
Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 137 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $65 billion, it is the world's leading provider of postal services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume-some 207 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves 7 million customers each day at its 40,000 retail locations nationwide.
# # #