For pets in need of some 'Help!'

A pair of feisty Ingleside cats mouthing the words to a classic Beatles song are gaining national attention.

And the organizers of the group behind the video are hoping that their 2 minutes of fame helps get the word out about a variety of animal issues.

Kirby and Kia are the stars of "Help!," a parody music video about spaying and neutering pets that has been viewed more than 182,000 times on YouTube since it was posted Dec. 31. The video has also caught the interest of animal groups as far away as Australia, Holland and South Africa.

More Coverage Video Watch the video

Working behind the camera are Sharon Johnson, Rebecca Adler and Deborah Cassidy, three friends who started the Alliance For Humane Action, or AHA!, about a year ago to educate people about how to care for animals.

Cassidy also happens to be the proud owner of Kia and Kirby.

"We wanted to launch our new organization in a memorable way, delivering an important humane message in a positive, humorous package -- and, we didn't have a lot of money, so the lure of free global distribution via YouTube was very attractive," Adler said.

The message of the 2-minute video is delivered with catchy lyrics such as, "Won't you please, please spay me?" instead of "Won't you please, please help me?"

Dave Thorpe, with the South Africa Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the video would be distributed to 92 SPCAs in the country.

"The video is stunning and will be very effective," Thorpe said in an e-mail.

Claire Boyce, education officer with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelly to Animals in Queensland, Australia, said the video was shown to about 200 14- and 15-year-olds recently and made a huge impact.

"The students thought the video was hilarious," Boyce said in an e-mail. "But after the lesson that we had just run and the statistics we had just been through highlighting the seriousness of the situation, they could appreciate the real message."

Adler, Cassidy and Johnson thought the video was clever, but said they had no idea how much exposure their organization would be getting.

"We kind of held our breath, not knowing what might happen when we put our work out there into the vast universe that is the Internet," Adler said. "We just knew that we had to be ready to respond to whatever might happen."

In addition to the video, AHA! holds various fund-raisers and educational events in Lake County.

Last month, AHA! held the Wild Things Animal Forum at Barrington Area Library featuring six wildlife experts who taught participants what to do if they encounter baby or injured animals.

On May 4, a Blues Benefit for Animals will be held at Kelsey Road House in Barrington, and in June, the group is planning a rummage sale fundraiser in Antioch.

Johnson, president and founder of AHA!, said she hopes the organization will be the middleman for people and the numerous animal groups in Lake and Cook counties.

"We have more than 25 years combined experience in the animal welfare field," Johnson said. "There is a need out there, and we're trying to fill in the gaps"