Help an Animal // Celebrities Get Active
Tour de France Competitor Levi Leipheimer: Spay and Neuter—It's as Easy as ABC
He's a seasoned competitor in the most grueling cycling races around the world, including the Tour of Germany, the Tour of California (which he won in 2007), and the king of all races, the Tour de France. But between training sessions and serving as the Discovery Team leader on this year's Tour de France, Leipheimer still manages to find time to help unwanted animals. Leipheimer and his wife, Odessa Gunn, run Freedom Hill, a foundation they started to provide financial assistance to animal organizations. The busy world-class athlete recently posed for PETA's first ever animal birth control (ABC) PSA with his animal companion Bandit—who was rescued from a situation of neglect in Girona, Spain—to encourage people to help reduce companion animal overpopulation.In the PSA, Leipheimer urges fans to help homeless animals, saying, "U.S. animal shelters must put to death nearly 4 million dogs and cats every year. You can help stop the cycle of unwanted animals. It's as easy as Animal Birth Control! Save lives: Always spay or neuter your animals, and never buy them from a breeder or a pet store."
In addition to posing for the PSA, Levi sat down for an interview with the PETA Files, PETA's popular blog. Leipheimer discusses his training routine, finding time for animal rescue, how vegetarian food gives him the energy he needs to stay in top shape, and the importance of spaying and neutering companion animals. Says Levi, "In the Unites States, there really isn't any excuse for not spaying and neutering your pets. There are low-cost spay-neuter options in almost every city and town. All you have to do is look." Visit PETA's blog to read Leipheimer's interview in its entirety.
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