Spaying or Neutering Your Dog - some common sense
January, 1998
Please Spay or Neuter ALL of your Pets
by Holly M. Burns
When I told my dad that I was very concerned about the pet overpopulation problem, he said to me, "I thought we solved that problem." The sad truth of it is that no matter how much the importance of spaying-and-neutering-your-pets is stressed, we will never solve the pet overpopulation problem. Currently the numbers are staggering. According to the PaLC, for every person that is born, 15 dogs and 45 cats are also born. You do the numbers, there is no way we can find homes for them all.
Just one litter is too much, and litters always seem to slip by. One un-spayed female dog and one un-neutered male dog and their offspring can produce 4,372 puppies in 7 years. For cats it is even worse. One un-spayed female cat and one un-neutered male cat and their offspring results in 420,000 kittens in 7 years. These statistics make me very sad, particularly when I see them first hand at the animal shelter. As lucky as shelter dogs and cats are to be getting full meals and not to be sleeping on the street, or in uncaring and unloving homes, I know they cannot be happy sleeping alone without the creature comforts of a family. And the saddest part is that not all of them will be adopted. There are just too many of them. And as hard as it is to have to put some of them humanely to sleep, what is the alternative? Let them roam the streets, and get hit by cars, or bullied by children, or starved to death?
How can people look into their pet's unconditional loving eyes, and say that its life, and all the lives of their pet buddies, are not worth the money or the time it takes to neuter them? What I like to stress in this essay isn't that I am trying to solve the pet overpopulation problem -- that is just a pipe dream -- but that I am trying to educate people of its existence, and the consequences that dogs and cats face when pets are not spayed or neutered. The best way that we can handle this overpopulation issue is in as many cases as possible, nip this problem in the bud. Have all of your dogs and cats spayed or neutered. That is why I created the Dog Hause Spay and Neuter Information page (http://www.doghause.com/neuter.html). The more people that realize the horrors of this problem and know how they can help minimize it, the better. The more animals that do not have to die needlessly, the better job we all are doing of spreading the word.
This essay may be reproduced in its entirety, as long as Holly Burns, the author, is credited and a reference is made back to the Dog Hause, http://www.doghause.com/. Although it is not necessary, a complimentary copy of any publication where the essay is included would also be appreciated. For more information on linking to this site, take a look at Link to Dog Hause. This essay may NOT be reproduced in sections. Questions or comments? Please send E-mail, holly@doghause.com
Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Pet
1) Spaying or neutering increases your pet's chances for a longer, healthier life.
2) An altered dog or cat is a better pet for your family.
3) No family wants to cope with an unwanted pregnancy.
Spaying prevents your pet from giving birth to unwanted puppies or kittens.
4) Spaying results in a cleaner female dog and home.
Because female dogs pass bloody fluid for about ten days, twice a year, as a part of their estrous cycle, constant care must be taken to avoid carpet stains in homes with such animals. Spaying your dog eliminates this problem.
5) You are helping to alleviate the dog and cat overpopulation problem.
Each year, millions of unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized (killed) at shelters across the country. Although pet behavioral problems are the main reasons animals are given to shelters, many orphans are the result of accidental breeding by free-roaming, unaltered pets. The more pets spayed or neutered, the fewer dogs and cats will have to be destroyed. Delaware Humane Association does not euthanized; however, hundreds of dogs and cats are turned away each year because there is simply not enough room at the shelter to accommodate them.
Above information adapted from "Should You Spay/Neuter Your Pet?" by Alpo Pet foods.
for Not Spaying or Neutering Pets
1) My pet will get fat and lazy.
Neutering or spaying may diminish your pet's overall activity level, natural tendency to wander, and hormonal balances, which may influence appetite. Pets that become fat and lazy after being altered usually are overfed and do not get enough exercise.
2) We want another pet just like Rover and Fluffy.
Breeding two purebred animals rarely results in offspring that are exactly like one of the parents. With mixed breeds, it is virtually impossible to have offspring that are exactly like one of the parents.
3) My pet's personality will change.
Any change will be for the better. After being altered, your pet will be less aggressive toward other dogs or cats, have a better personality, and will be less likely to wander. Spraying (urine marking), which is often done by dogs and cats to mark their territory, diminishes or ceases after pets are altered.
4) We can sell puppies or kittens and make money.
Even well-known breeders are fortunate if they break even on raising purebred litters. The cost of raising such a litter -- which includes stud fees, vaccinations and other health care costs, and feeding a quality food -- consumes most of the "profit." Well-known breeders raise breeds that they like. These breeders also try to improve the standard of the breeds they raise.
5) My children should witness our pet giving birth.
Pets often have their litters in the middle of the night or in a place of their own choosing. Because pets need privacy when giving birth, any unnecessary intrusion can cause the mother to become seriously upset. These intrusions can result in an unwillingness to care for the offspring or in injury to the owners or to the pet.
6) I am concerned about my pet undergoing anesthesia.
Placing a pet under anesthesia is a very common concern of owners. Although there is always a slight risk involved, the anesthetics currently used by veterinarians are very safe. Many veterinarians use equipment that monitors heart and respiratory rates during surgery to ensure that their patients are doing well under anesthesia. Thus, the medical benefits of having your pet spayed or neutered far outweigh the slight risk involved with undergoing anesthesia. Consult your veterinarian if your are concerned about this aspect of the procedure.
Above information adapted from "Should You Spay/Neuter Your Pet?" by Alpo Pet foods.
