600 Million Stray Dogs Need You Corporation

1) In 2024 our mission remained focused, science-driven, compassion-fueled and unprecedented: To end the #1 cause of suffering and death for dogs and cats worldwide - overpopulation - by creating what will be the first-of-its-kind one-dose edible, permanent-lasting birth control formula that can safely spay or neuter stray cats and dogs, without surgery - after which we will do the same for other animals species also in need. Thanks to the determination of our small but fiercely committed team, we continued to make measurable scientific progress despite enormous funding constraints.2) The continued global problem which we intend to solve: Every year over one billion homeless dogs and cats suffer*continued on Schedule O and die across the globe. The world's estimated 600 million stray dogs and 87 million stray cats reproduce continuously and give birth to over 1 billion homeless offspring, puppies and kittens, every year. Tragically, those who survive, also reproduce and give birth to yet another generation of strays - repeating the cycle of homelessness, suffering and premature death year after year. While traditional surgical spay and neuter programs help - surgery will never be enough to end this cycle of suffering on a global scale. This is why we continued working to develop the Spay and Neuter Cookie - a compassionate, science-backed alternative that when completed, can be administered just once, delivering lifelong sterilization without surgery - allowing society to end the overpopulation crisis. One dose. No Surgery. Humane, scalable and game-changing.Scientific Progress: Our research team made significant headway on multiple scientific fronts such as the following.3) Ingredient Evaluation: We continued to test new reproductive blockers and ovotoxicants, carefully and constantly monitoring interactions and outcomes. We continued to test every ingredient to ensure it contributes to our goal of a cookie formula, which meets the following six key criteria: 1. Only one dose, one time, is needed. 2. The one dose delivers permanent lasting lifetime sterilization. 3. The dose can be eaten, thus it does not require capturing the animal. 4. It is safe across a range of ages, breeds, weights and sizes. 5. It is very affordable. An estimated $5 cookie vs a $300 spay surgery. 6. It is capable of scalable production and deployment with a long shelf life and without refrigeration.No single ingredient alone can meet all six criteria. That's why we continued to invest what meager resources we have, into both ingredient discovery and formulation synergy - using science to do what surgery cannot do: scale rapidly, globally and cost effectively.4) Expanded Compound Discovery: When our work first began we had only one viable crucial, ovotoxic compound known as 1,2-Epoxy-4-(epoxyethyl)cyclohexane. Also known as 1-Epoxyethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexane, Vinyl Cyclohexene Dioxide or VCD for short. The good news is that after ongoing exhaustive searching and database mining, we expanded our catalog of viable ovotoxic compounds and identified yet others - which we believe thus far, to be safer than traditional chemical agents. 5) Active Ingredient Optimization: We continued to increase the dose concentration of ovotoxic compounds that safely impair ovarian follicles, yielding some of the highest rates of ovarian follicle impairment to date - from a single dose - without negative side effects.6) Multi-Compound Integration: We continued making progress in the compounding multiple active and inactive ingredients into single-dose trial formulas, a complex task designed to significantly increase long-term efficacy. We found ourselves with multiple ingredients who, as we say: do not like each other, and do not get along with each other. Conflicting ingredients continued to trigger new challenges that we continued to meet - for example the challenge of product stability and structural integrity. Because of conflicting ingredients, without exact proper formulation the cookie will crumble, rendering it virtually useless in outdoor environments, which is why we continually tested non-active binding agents capable of holding the formulas together - without turning each formula into an unuseable two pound cookie, and without interfering with efficacy or palatability. This continued to be another constant balancing act - but essential. 7) Safety Enhancement and Side Effect Mitigation: We continued to make progress in finding and introducing stabilizing compounds to offset unwanted, potential side effects such as abnormal kidney or liver markers, creating more balanced and safer formulations - all essential. For example sometimes we have a new ovotoxic agent to add, but in large amounts it can trigger a bad kidney or liver reaction, so we had to find yet another ingredient that will prevent the unwanted kidney or liver reaction from happening, and hope that each new ingredient does not trigger yet more problems. 8) The Challenge of Palatability: The very compounds that make the cookie effective often taste horrible and smell terrible - especially to dogs and cats who have far superior olfactory and taste sensitivity compared to humans. Unlike human patients, dogs and cats will not eat something just because it is good for them - which unfortunately works against us and poses a constant obstacle, as we thus far need to continue to increase the dose amounts of the offending active ingredients. To solve this ongoing problem we have had no choice but to continue to make progress in developing advanced masking strategies using ever more creative ideas and ingredients to counteract the bitter, foul odor and taste. While large pharmaceutical companies easily spend $150,000 to $300,000 to outsource the task of masking the bad taste and smell of a single medicine - we have not had that luxury - and we have continued to solve every challenge ourselves - from taste to toxicity - and as fast as possible and at the lowest cost possible. We must not only create a cookie that works - it must also be a cookie that dogs and cats will gladly, willingly eat. 9) Ongoing Grassroots Clinical Trials: We continued our trials, working with dogs whom we rescued off the streets and alleys, and whom we lovingly call Pilot Pups. While at this stage our focus has continued to be mainly on dogs, we continue to be more than eager to also focus on helping cats as soon as funds allow. In our trials we continued to see strong results, specifically high ovarian follicle impairment rates from single doses of the cookie. The current problem is no surprise: not every dog responds the same - and individual variability is a real hurdle. Unfortunately we continue to encounter variations between individuals - a small amount is acceptable, but large discrepancies can distort results. Solving this has simply required us to not give up. We have had no choice but to continue to constantly test, constantly adjust and constantly refine - dose after dose after dose. Each formula is typically more complex than the previous, each is more one time consuming, more complicated and more labor intensive than the one before. At last count we had on average up to 8 and sometimes more ingredients in the most recent formulas, with more ingredients expected, and at last count we also had approximately 200 trial formulas under our belt. The way forward is clear: these are obstacles than can be solved - it simply means more work, more trials, more ingredients, more histology processing, more pathology evaluations, more second veterinary pathology opinions, more third opinions and tragically more time - resources we are constantly short on. The good news is that with proper funding this work can be expedited and accelerated exponentially. 10) International vs. U.S. Trials. For use in the U.S. the cookie will in all likelihood still have to be approved by the FDA for pets and private veterinarians, and by the USDA for strays and humane societies. While we remained eager to begin U.S. based clinical trials for USDA and FDA regulatory approval, due to the lack of funds we continued to be restricted to carrying out these studies internationally, where it is far less expensive. 11) Outreach and Advocacy: In addition to our clinical trials we expanded our digital outreach, actively campaigning to protect animals now, by campaigning against the ongoing shooting of homeless dogs by the government of Bahrain, to the brutal mutilation of baby monkeys and the terrible suffering being inflicted on cats, dogs, donkeys, and many more in a long list of campaigns. To every scientist, donor and volunteer: this year's progress happened because you made it possible. While every advance comes at a cost, every success brings us closer to ending the suffering.