In celebration of World Spay Day today, Feb. 24, country music icon Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation has announced a three-year partnership for its spay & neuter program, “It Takes Balls,” with the Doris Day Animal Foundation. The 2026 “It Takes Balls” campaign will focus specifically on Southern California. The initiative, which kicked off in 2023, raises awareness for the importance of spay & neuter and has provided over 125 grants thus far to qualifying low-cost programs throughout Tennessee and Texas.
“We’re so excited and honored to be partnering with the Doris Day Animal Foundation and are grateful for their amazing commitment to spay & neuter,” said Lambert. “Everyone knows that Doris Day holds an unparalleled place in film and music – but do they also know she started Spay Day USA in 1995 (now World Spay Day)? When I found out, I knew this was a perfect partnership and I want everyone to know about her enduring passion for animals.”
“We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with Miranda Lambert and MuttNation Foundation on such an important initiative,” said Doris Day Animal Foundation CEO Bob Bashara. “Establishing Spay Day USA over 30 years ago and seeing it evolve into today’s World Spay Day was one of Doris Day’s proudest achievements in her pioneering animal welfare advocacy. As DDAF carries on Doris’ legacy, we are grateful that Miranda and MuttNation share our passion and dedication to make this a better world for the animals, and together we can make a meaningful difference in reducing the homeless pet population and euthanasia rates.”
Despite the great work being done by most animal shelters, they are not equipped to handle the annual number of incoming animals. In 2025, 5.8 million animals entered shelters and 597,000 were euthanized, often due to lack of space. One of the most impactful ways to reduce those numbers is through spay & neuter.
MuttNation is inviting low cost spay & neuter programs in Southern California to complete and submit a grant application HERE to help fight this ongoing issue.
About MuttNation Foundation
Founded by Miranda Lambert and her mom, Bev, in 2009, MuttNation is a donation-supported 501c(3) nonprofit organization that has raised over $13 million to date in support of its mission to promote the adoption of shelter pets, advance spay & neuter and educate the public about the benefits of these actions. MuttNation provides financial support and works with transport partners to assist with recovery and relocate animals during times of natural disaster. MuttNation Fueled by Miranda Lambert, a pet line of toys and supplies that benefits the Foundation, is available exclusively at Tractor Supply Company stores throughout the U.S. To learn more, visit MuttNation.com.
About Miranda Lambert
Critically acclaimed groundbreaker/songwriter/superstar Miranda Lambert has defined her multifaceted career as an artist, entertainer, entrepreneur, advocate and businesswoman with an unflinching quest for excellence, honesty and conviction. GRAMMY-nominated single “A Song To Sing” with Chris Stapleton arrived recently as the biggest streaming debut of her career, with Rolling Stone praising its “dreamy disco groove and lovestruck devotion.” Her 10th solo studio album, the GRAMMY-nominated Postcards from Texas, available everywhere now via Republic Records, continued her unbroken streak of 10 consecutive Top 10s on the Top Country Albums chart. The most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history, including their top honor for Entertainer of the Year, she has also won three GRAMMYs and 14 Country Music Association Awards. A TIME100 honoree and perennial best-of-the-year list maker at the New York Times, TIME, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Stereogum, People and more, NPR has called her “the most riveting country star of her generation.”
A multi-dimensional superstar, she’s earned seven No. 1 solo albums, 10 No. 1 hit radio singles, more than 80 prestigious awards and countless RIAA certifications; conquered Las Vegas with her twice-extended Velvet Rodeo residency; blurred genres with Leon Bridges, the B-52s, Loretta Lynn, Enrique Iglesias, Sheryl Crow and Elle King; and delivered her LGBTQ+ inclusive anthem “Y’all Means All” for Netflix’s “Queer Eye.” Lambert has taken those standards to become a label co-founder, teaming with longtime collaborator Jon Randall to launch their own imprint, Big Loud Texas, in partnership with Big Loud Records. She is also a New York Times bestselling author and the first female restaurateur on Lower Broadway with her Tex-Mex cantina Casa Rosa, while also expanding her creative reach with her Wanda June Home collection as well as Idyllwind, her western clothing, accessories and footwear brand at Boot Barn.
MirandaLambert.com | Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube
About Doris Day Animal Foundation
Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF) , is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit charity founded by legendary performer Doris Day in 1978, with a straightforward mission to help animals and the people who love them. As a grant-giving organization, DDAF funds non-profit organizations and programs across the country that directly rescue, care for and protect animals. Some of DDAF's ongoing project funding includes World Spay Day (founded by Doris Day as Spay Day USA in 1995), Duffy Day Life Saving Program, Doris Day/Terry Melcher Scholarships for veterinary students studying shelter medicine at select universities, spay/neuter and "Seniors for Seniors" programs, emergency disaster relief and much more. DDAF is proud to carry on Doris Day’s legacy and pioneering work to make this a better world for all animals.
DDAF.org | Facebook | X | Instagram
