Why Spay or Neuter

REDUCE EUTHANASIA: Each year an estimated 4 to 6 million unwanted dogs and cats are killed in shelters. There simply aren't enough good homes for them all. Even those that are lucky enough to find a home may not be lucky enough to keep it and end up back in the shelter system again. Approximately twenty-five percent (25%) of these animals in shelters are purebreds.

SOCIETY: Other equally tragic problems resulting from pet overpopulation include the transformation of some animal shelters into "warehouses," acceptance of cruelty to animals as a way of life in our society, and the stress that many shelter workers endure as a result of having to euthanize one animal after another. Unfortunately, so many living creatures are cuddled when cute, but become abandoned and thrown away when they become inconvenient.

COMMUNITY: Animals who are abandoned and stray, and are able to survive, live in alleys and streets of both cities and suburbs. These animals pose a threat to the health of humans and other animals by getting into trash, defecating in public areas and/or lawns, and spreading disease. Some scare away or prey upon wildlife, such as birds, in order to survive. They innocently cause anger to people who have no comprehension of their misery or of their needs.

ECONOMIC: Countless tax dollars currently used to house and euthanize animals each year can be redirected to other programs.

MEDICAL: In addition to its impact on pet overpopulation, having your pet spayed/neutered provides many medical and behavioral benefits:

paying greatly reduces chances of breast cancer and eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, as well as uterine infection.

eutering prevents testicular tumors in males, helps to prevent other prostate problems, and decreases the likelihood of hernias. Neutered males are less likely to roam, reducing the chance of bite wounds and diseases caused by fighting.

aking sure your pets are spayed or neutered helps to reduce some behaviors associated with unsterilized pets such as aggressiveness, spraying, roaming, etc.

A young man was taking a casual stroll along the river one day when he glanced up to see a woman with a baby in her arms walking across the bridge overhead. To his horror, she suddenly leaned over the bridge and dropped the helpless infant into the water! Without thinking he jumped into the water, clothing and all, and swam out to rescue the child that he brought back safely to shore.

Before he could regain his composure enough to ask the woman what in the world she was doing up there on the bridge, she suddenly dropped another baby over the side. Although he was cold and tired from the first swim, he once again plunged into the water to rescue the second child. To his complete amazement, she dropped a third child into the water as soon as he reached the bank.

"This just isn't going to work," he thought. "I can't keep swimming out to rescue these children. Eventually we will all drown!" So instead of continuing this compassionate but futile effort, he climbed up onto the bridge and brought the woman down.

Over 100 years ago, caring, humane individuals became concerned over the cruel way many companion animals were being treated and alarmed about the growing numbers of homeless strays. As you know, they got together and formed groups we refer to as Humane Societies and built shelters in an attempt to improve the quality of life for these unwanted animals.

Although they have managed to accomplish many admirable things over the years, including being the model for child welfare statutes and reforms, the number of homeless animals has continued to grow in astounding number resulting in horrendous consequences to the very creatures they wished to help.

Although we desperately need every effort to shelter and place companion animals, and to educate the public, like the man in the allegory, we must realize that these efforts alone are not enough.

If we truly care about today's abused and homeless strays, like the man under the bridge, we need to make our efforts count. We have to get to the root of the problem. Unlike many of the world's ills, this one has an obvious and effective solution. Rather than killing unwanted animals, prevent their birth through spaying and neutering.

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There are many advantages to sterilization prior to the traditional six months of age. Animals spayed or neutered at six to eight weeks of age benefit from less stress and a quicker recovery from surgery. At this age, absence of abdominal fat makes the procedure take less time than in older patients. This means less trauma to the animal, as less tissue is disturbed, and less time is spent under anesthesia. In addition, recovery from anesthesia is more rapid.

Sterilizing puppies and kittens prior to adoption by shelters and animal humane organizations ensures that they will not produce litters once they have been placed in homes.

Early age spay/neuter has been performed by professionals for many years. The procedure is endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the state veterinary medical associations in California, Nevada, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, to name a few. Other supporters include the American Kennel Club and the Cat Fanciers' Association.

As with any medical procedure at any age, each animal's individual overall physical condition is the determining factor as to whether she or he should undergo anesthesia.