Links - Why Spay/Neuter?
- American Humane
Why Spay or Neuter Your Pet?
Spaying is a general term used to describe the ovariohysterectomy of a female animal. Neutering is a general term used to describe the castration of a male animal. However, neutering is used in reference to both genders. The surgical procedure, performed by a veterinarian, renders the animal incapable of reproducing. Here are answers to some questions you may have about this beneficial procedure.
When can I have this procedure done?
Both procedures can be performed as early as six weeks of age. American Humane is a strong proponet of \"early\" neutering since this guarantees that the animals will not be able to breed and populate within a community.
Why should I have my pet neutered?
Animal shelters, both public and private, unfortunately are faced with an incredible burden: What to do with the overpopulation of dogs and cats that they cannot find homes for. Estimates across the country indicate that over 10 million animals will be humanely euthanized at shelters each year, due to the sheer fact that there are not enough homes. Having your pet neutered ensures that you will not be adding to this tremendous burden.
What are some of the health benefits?
Through neutering, you can help your dog and cat live a happier, healthier, and longer life. Spaying eliminates the constant crying and nervous pacing that is a sign that a cat is in heat. Castration stops the mating drive in males, reducing the urge to roam, which in turn, reduces the risk of fights, injury, poisoning, accidents, and contracting diseases. If you have more than one pet in your household, all the pets will get along better if they are neutered.
A long-term benefit of neutering is improved health. Early neutering nearly eliminates breast cancer, and totally prevents uterine infections and uterine and testicular cancer.
Isn\'t it true that you only need to \"fix\" female dogs or cats?
Absolutely not! A male animal can father thousands of offspring in his lifetime. Roaming tomcats fighting other cats are a neighborhood nuisance and are prone to develop infections and abscesses from their fighting. An intact male may also develop the bad habit of marking its territory by urine marking.
Neutering just costs too much!
The cost of caring for a pet, including providing veterinary care, should be considered before acquiring an animal. If you would like to provide a good home for a pet, but cannot pay for the neuter, call your local animal shelter. They will be happy to provide information on low-cost neutering. The costs of having a litter are often more than the cost of neutering. There could be complications requiring hospitalization or surgery. You will be faced with finding homes or keeping the offspring yourself or placing more animals into your local shelter. The cost of the well-being of not just your companion animal but of future generations should be considered.
Can\'t I allow my purebred dog to have just one litter?
Mixed breed or purebred -- there just aren\'t enough homes. Animal shelters receive purebred animals everyday. Responsible purebred breeders have homes for their dogs before they are born.
I don\'t even own a pet! Why is this my problem?
All of us are affected by animal overpopulation. Millions of tax dollars are spent annually to round up lost, abandoned, and unwanted pets. Much of that money is spent to destroy these animals when homes cannot be found. Health is threatened by the danger of transmittable diseases, including rabies, animal bites, and attacks. Property may be damaged and livestock killed when pets roam in search of food. Animal waste, proving a serious environment hazard, foul yards and parks. It is only when all of us assume the responsibility for pet overpopulation that we will see any decrease in the problem.
Isn\'t it wrong to deprive an animal of the natural right to reproduce?
No, it\'s wrong to allow these animals to reproduce millions of unwanted offspring that are eventually killed because there aren\'t enough responsible homes.
If I find homes for my pets\' litters then I won\'t contribute to the problem, right?
Wrong. Only a certain number of people want pets. So every home you find for your pet\'s offspring takes away a home from a loving animal already at a shelter.
Shouldn\'t every female pet have at least one litter before being spayed?
No. In fact, your pet will be healthier if she never sexually matures. Her personality will not improve either. She is just as likely to become less social and more aggressive after having a litter, as she is to become calmer and gentler.
Shouldn\'t children experience the miracle of birth?
No. A more important lesson to teach your child would be responsible pet ownership and concern for life by explaining why their pet should not have babies.
Doesn\'t neutering alter an animal\'s personality?
No. Personality changes that may result from neutering are for the better. Not being distracted by the instinctual need to find a mate helps your pet stop roaming and become calmer; though not less protective of their territory.
Won\'t animal shelters take care of the surplus animals?
No. Shelters do their best to place animals in loving homes, but the number of homeless animals far exceeds the number of available homes. This leaves many loving and healthy animals in our community that must be euthanized as the only humane solution to this tragic dilemma. Only spaying and neutering can end the overpopulation problem. - Humane Society of the US
Spaying or neutering your pet is an important decision for pet owners. As animal lovers who value our pets, it is important to understand the impact of this decision.
It happens everywhere
In every community, in every state, there are homeless animals. In the U.S. as a whole, there are an estimated 6-8 million homeless animals entering animal shelters every year. About half of these animals are adopted, and tragically, the other half are euthanized. These are healthy, sweet pets who would have made great companions.
The number of homeless animals varies by state—in some states there are as many as 300,000 homeless animals euthanized in animal shelters every year. These are not the offspring of homeless \"street\" animals—these are the puppies and kittens of cherished family pets and even purebreds.
Yes, your pet\'s offsping could be shelter animals
Many people believe that their pet\'s puppies or kittens would never become homeless shelter animals. But the reality is that every time the dog finds his way under the fence to visit the neighbor\'s female dog, or the indoor/outdoor cat comes back home pregnant again, the result is a litter of dogs or cats. Even if they are placed into homes, it is still possible for them to end up in shelters once they become \"hard to handle,\" or for them to reproduce further and for the next generation of puppies or kittens to wind up homeless.
Many people are surprised to learn that nationwide more than 3 million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters. Spay/neuter is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs and cats.
Not just for dogs and cats
When being conscientious about the pet overpopulation, don\'t forget to spay or neuter your pet rabbit. Rabbits reproduce faster than dogs or cats and often end up in shelters where they must be euthanized. Spaying or neutering rabbits can reduce hormone-driven behavior such as lunging, mounting, spraying and boxing. Spaying females can prevent ovarian, mammary and uterine cancers, which can be prevalent in mature females.
Millions of pet deaths each year are a needless tragedy. By spaying and neutering your pet, you can be an important part of the solution. Contact your veterinarian today and be sure to let your family and friends know that they should do the same. - National Humane Society
Over the last decade, we\'ve been working hard with other rescue organizations to decrease the number of animals euthanized each year, one life at a time.
We try our hardest to keep the prices affordable for the general public.
Myths about spay/neuter
Some people believe that spaying or neutering their pet will change their pets personality. The only truth in that is that it may decrease aggressiveness, which is a good thing. The personality however is mainly decided by its genetics, attention and training it recieves.
Many people share the common misconception that females have a sweeter, gentler personality if they have one litter before getting spayed. Behavioral researchers and clinical observations have yet to prove this and many animal behaviorists label this as what can be described as \"the placebo effect\". The owner would expect something- like a behavior change, and the expectation leads to the assumption that the behavior did indeed improve.
A common thought is that neutered pets become obese. Although sometimes this could be true, the simple way to avoid this is by monitoring your pets diet along with giving regular excercise and attention.
Why spaying and neutering is benificial to your DOG
The risk for testicular cancer and other testicular diseases is eliminated after neutering a male dog.
An un-neutered male dog has a desire to roam and tends to be aggressive towards other dogs. After neutering, those desires usually diminish and he becomes a more contented stay-at-home companion and faces less of a threat of wandering into the path of an automobile or being in fierce fights with other dogs.
Spaying a female before her first heat cycle protects her against mammary tumors and other reproductive tract diseases, however these benefits only occur if she gets spayed early in her life.
Why spaying and neutering is benificial to your CAT
In female cats, similar to female dogs, spaying protects from mammary tumors, providing a lifesaving benefit.
Heat cycles for cats is a very difficult thing to deal with. Constant vocalizing, bad temperment, and her attempts to attract males could irritate you and your neighbors. After being spayed, a female usually becomes calm and content because she would no longer have recurring heat cycles.
Male cats which haven\'t been neutered are likely to spray urine with strong, offensive odor after they reach maturity. They also would be prone to have violent fights with other males which could lead to serious injuries. After being neutered, these problems would be reduced, and possibly stop altogether. - SPAY USA
Benefits of Spaying (females):
No heat cycles, therefore males will not be attracted
Less desire to roam
Risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian and/or uterine cancer is reduced or eliminated, especially if done before the first heat cycle
Reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies
Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives
Benefits of Neutering (males):
Reduces or eliminates risk of spraying and marking
Less desire to roam, therefore less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents
Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated, and decreases incidence of prostate disease
Reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies
Decreases aggressive behavior, including dog bites
Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives
Top 3 Reasons to Spay and Neuter
It helps to reduce companion animal overpopulation. Most countries have a surplus of companion animals and are forced to euthanize or disregard their great suffering. The surplus is in the millions in the United States. Cats are 45 times as prolific, and dogs 15 times as prolific, as humans.They do not need our help to expand their numbers; they need our help to reduce their numbers until there are good homes for them all.
Sterilization of your cat or dog will increase his/her chance of a longer and healthier life. Altering your canine friend will increase his life an average of 1 to 3 years, felines, 3 to 5 years. Altered animals have a very low to no risk of mammary gland tumors/cancer, prostate cancer, perianal tumors, pyometria, and uterine, ovarian and testicular cancers.
Sterilizing your cat/dog makes him/her a better pet, reducing his/her urge to roam and decreasing the risk of contracting diseases or getting hurt as they roam. Surveys indicate that as many as 85% of dogs hit by cars are unaltered. Intact male cats living outside have been shown to live on average less than two years. Feline Immunodeficiency Syndrome is spread by bites and intact cats fight a great deal more than altered cats.
Additional Benefits:
Your community will also benefit. Unwanted animals are becoming a very real concern in many places. Stray animals can easily become a public nuisance, soiling parks and streets, ruining shrubbery, frightening children and elderly people, creating noise and other disturbances, causing automobile accidents, and sometimes even killing livestock or other pets.
- The American Veterinary Medical Association
The capture, impoundment and eventual destruction of unwanted animals costs taxpayers and private humanitarian agencies over a billion dollars each year. As a potential source of rabies and other less serious diseases, they can be a public health hazard.
- The American Veterinary Medical Association
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