Octomom for animal control

LA HABRA, Calif. | It’s official. Octomom Nadya Suleman doesn’t want your dog or cat following in her footsteps.

As a front yard full of paparazzi cheered her on, Miss Suleman unveiled a 3-foot-by-4-foot plastic sign Wednesday that reads: “Don’t Let Your Dog or Cat Become an Octomom. Always Spay or Neuter.”

“Turn left. Pose. Smile, Nadya,” photographers jockeying for position shouted as Miss Suleman stood in front of the sign.

A few curious onlookers stopped to watch as a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals mascot (a person in a dog suit) gave her a hug.

PETA is paying Miss Suleman $5,000 to keep the sign on her front door until June 9, the deadline when city officials say it must be removed. The organization is also throwing in a month’s supply of vegetable hot dogs and burgers for her and the 14 children.

Miss Suleman acknowledged she put the sign on her door partly for the money but added that her support of PETA is sincere.

“I love animals and I do believe they should be spayed or neutered,” she said. “Humans of course are much different.”

Her children, the oldest of whom is 9, want a dog, Miss Suleman said. She told them they can have one when they are old enough to care for it.

Miss Suleman already had six children when she gave birth 16 months ago to octuplets conceived by in vitro fertilization.

Since then she has struggled to pay her bills and was in danger of losing her home earlier this year. Her lawyer has since negotiated an extension on a $450,000 mortgage payment that had been due in March.

“It’s really a win-win situation for everyone,” PETA campaign coordinator Amanda Fortino said of the sign.

Ms. Fortino said the agreement allowed PETA to do its part to help Miss Suleman financially while also spreading word that more than 7 million cats and dogs enter shelters every year, where more than half are killed.