Pets
are homeless everywhere In every community, in every state, there are
homeless animals. In the U.S., there are an estimated 6-8 million
homeless animals entering animal shelters every year. Barely half of
these animals are adopted. Tragically, the rest 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.
Many
people are surprised to learn that nationwide, more than 2.7 million
healthy, adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters annually.
Spay/neuter is the only permanent, 100 percent effective method of birth
control for dogs and cats.
Your pet's
healthA USA Today (May 7, 2013) article cites that pets who live in the
states with the highest rates of spaying/neutering also live the
longest. According to the report, neutered male dogs live 18% longer
than un-neutered male dogs and spayed female dogs live 23% longer than
unspayed female dogs. The report goes on to add that in Mississippi, the
lowest-ranking state for pet longevity, 44% of the dogs are not
neutered or spayed.
Part of the reduced
lifespan of unaltered pets can be attributed to their increased urge to
roam, exposing them to fights with other animals, getting struck by
cars, and other mishaps.
Another
contributor to the increased longevity of altered pets involves the
reduced risk of certain types of cancers. Unspayed female cats and dogs
have a far greater chance of developing pyrometra (a fatal uterine
infection), uterine cancer, and other cancers of the reproductive
system.
Medical evidence indicates that
females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. (Many
veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of
age.)
Male pets who are neutered
eliminate their chances of getting testicular cancer, and it is thought
they they have lowered rates of prostate cancer, as well.
Getting
your pets spayed/neutered will not change their fundamental
personality, like their protective instinct.Read more spay/neuter
myths »
Curbing bad behaviorUnneutered
dogs are much more assertive and prone to urine-marking (lifting his
leg) than neutered dogs. Although it is most often associated with male
dogs, females may do it, too. Spaying or neutering your dog should
reduce urine-marking and may stop it altogether.
For cats, the
urge to spray is
extremely strong in an intact cat, and the simplest solution is toget
yours neutered or spayed by 5 months of age before there's even a
problem. Neutering solves 90 percent of all marking issues, even in cats
that have been doing it for a while. It can also minimize howling, the
urge to roam, and fighitng with other males.
In
both cats and dogs, the longer you wait, the greater the risk you run
of the surgery not doing the trick because the behavior is so ingrained.
Other behavioral problems that can be ameliorated by spay/neuter include:
- Roaming, especially when females are "in heat."
- Aggression: Studies also show that most dogs bites involve dogs who are unaltered.
- Excessive barking, mounting, and other dominance-related behaviors.
While
getting your pets spayed/neutered can help curb undesirable behaviors,
it will not change their fundamental personality, like their protective
instinct.
Cost cuttingWhen you factor
in the long-term costs potentially incurred by a non-altered pet, the
savings afforded by spay/neuter are clear (especially given the plethora
of low-cost spay/neuter clinics).
Caring
for a pet with reproductive system cancer or pyometra can easily run
into the thousands of dollars—five to ten times as much as a routine
spay surgery. Additionally, unaltered pets can be more destructive or
high-strung around other dogs. Serious fighting is more common between
unaltered pets of the same gender and can incur high veterinary costs.
Renewing
your pet's license can be more expensive, too. Many counties have
spay/neuter laws that require pets to be sterilized, or require people
with unaltered pets to pay higher license renewal fees.
Spaying
and neutering are good for rabbits, tooPart of being conscientious
about the pet overpopulation problem is to spay or neuter your pet
rabbits, too. Rabbits reproduce faster than dogs or cats and often end
up in shelters, where they must be euthanized. Neutering male rabbits
can reduce hormone-driven behavior such as lunging, mounting, spraying,
and boxing.
And just as with dogs and
cats, spayed female rabbits are less likely to get 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.