In just 2 days, Alex Pacheco, founder of 600 Million Dogs, will celebrate his 68th birthday.

For more than 40 years, Alex has worked to expose cruelty to animals and encourage people around the world to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

To celebrate his birthday, Catherine has pledged to double every gift, up to $20,000.

So please don't miss the opportunity to help twice as many animals.

$25 becomes $50

$50 becomes $100

$100 becomes $200

Catherine has spent more than 40 years as a donor, volunteer, and animal activist.

"Alex has spent his life standing up for animals," says Catherine. "I wanted his birthday to become another opportunity to help animals, and I hope you will join me."

Many people first learned Alex's name through the Silver Spring Monkeys case.

In 1981, while volunteering at the Institute for Behavioral Research in Silver Spring, Maryland, Alex photographed 17 monkeys living with severe injuries during painful experiments. 

His documentation led police to seize to the monkeys, the first known confiscation of animals from a U.S. research laboratory in a cruelty investigation.

The case sparked a nationwide debate about the treatment of animals in research laboratories. 

The Washington Post, one of America's leading newspapers, later wrote that it "ignited widespread public debate on the ethical issues of animal research."

During that time, Alex was arrested more than 60 times while taking part in peaceful protests and demonstrations calling for better treatment of animals.

More than forty years later, Alex's focus is preventing the suffering that begins long before dogs and cats ever reach a shelter.

The world's 600 million stray dogs and 87 million stray cats give birth to more than 1 billion homeless puppies and kittens every year. 

Many will suffer from hunger, disease, abuse, or be killed because there are far more animals than there are homes.

Alex believes the most effective way to stop that suffering is to prevent unwanted litters before they begin. 

This is why 600 Million Dogs is working to develop a permanent lasting birth control Cookie that only needs to be eaten one time, and it will spay or neuter without surgery.

The best birthday gift Alex could receive is knowing that more animals will be spared a lifetime of suffering.

Today, you can help make that happen while Catherine doubles your gift, up to $20,000.

If you would like to make Alex's birthday even more special, please leave him a birthday message before August 19.

Please wish Alex a happy birthday in advance and remind him how many people stand with him and the animals he has devoted his life to protecting.

Your message will help make Alex's birthday even more special, and your doubled gift today will help celebrate his birthday in the way he would value most: by helping more animals.

Thank you for helping make Alex's birthday a celebration of hope for animals.