As a “pet mom” I know the importance of having our pets spayed or neutered. In fact we were unable to adopt them from the animal shelter until they were fixed. The only exception is our one cat that was a feral kitten. We made sure to have him neutered as soon as he was old enough.
Unless you are a licensed breeder, or there is a medical reason why it’s not possible, I think all animals, by law, should be fixed. It would reduce the number of unwanted pets in already over crowded animal shelters across the country.
Our local animal shelter refers to the spring time as “kitten season”. That is because they get hundreds of kittens into the shelter that need to find good homes. Kittens are cute and cuddly, but when you have hundreds of them that need a home and only so much room to house them until they are adopted out, it can be a nightmare.
PetSmart Charities also knows the importance of having your pet spayed or neutered. They also know that there are a lot of misconceptions about having the procedure done.
Here are a few myths about spaying/neutering that some readers might find interesting.
PetSmart Charities knows how important spay/neuter is for your pets. But, many pet parents still have misconceptions about the procedure. I thought this information would be helpful for your readers to let them know why it’s safe, necessary, and can prevent unwanted litters that are currently contributing to the pet homelessness population.
Myth #1: It’s too expensive.
PetSmart Charities offers an online spay/neuter services locator to find clinics that perform high-quality, affordable spay/neuter surgeries in your area. Go online to www.PetSmartCharities.org and click on Spay/Neuter.
Myth #2: My pets are never left unattended, so I have nothing to worry about.
Half of U.S. pet owners who’ve had a pregnant dog or cat say the pregnancy happened “by accident,” according to statistics from PetSmart Charities. These accidental litters could be easily avoided by early spaying and neutering – you can never be too safe.
Myth #3: My pet is too young for this procedure.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, spaying and neutering is safe for kittens and puppies as young as eight to 10 weeks old. Spaying a female cat before her first heat cycle is more beneficial than waiting until a heat cycle has occurred.
There are also many health benefits of spay/neuter that people might not know, such as:
Reduced aggression: Cats and dogs that have been spayed/neutered are less aggressive than unaltered pets, which means fewer fights, less risk of contracting contagious diseases and lower vet bills.
Wandering: Pets that aren’t fixed are more likely to stray away from home in search of a mate. Spaying and neutering reduces this urge, keeping your pet close to home and out of harm’s way.
Less marking: Dogs and cats mark with urine when they are trying to “claim” their territory—like your couch. After a spay/neuter operation, pets become less territorial, and this behavior decreases dramatically.
Fewer health problems: Pets that have been fixed are less likely to develop mammary and reproductive cancers, as well as some potentially fatal infections.
I know that the expense is probably the #1 reason why many pets are not spayed or neutered. We thought that way too at one point but you CAN find low cost or even free spaying/neutering. You can check out the PetSmart Charities page or contact your local animal shelter for a list of low cost clinics.
When we had our youngest cat spayed almost two years ago it cost us $90 through a clinic. That is a small price to pay to protect her health and to ensure that we don’t contribute to over crowded animal shelters. It also gives pets waiting for their “forever home” a chance.
Is your pet spayed or neutered?
Kimberly
*I was not compensated for this post. I am sharing this for the benefit of my site readers and their pets.
Sources: Philip Bushby, veterinarian and professor of shelter medicine at Mississippi State University; IPSOS Marketing survey (Nov. 2011).
Nilda says
I agree with you 100% my dog was fixed when he was a year old and it was at a low cost shelter. If more people spayed/neutered their pets there’d be less animals in shelters and whatever animals wind up there can be adopted out faster. My other dog came from a guy who had no means of taking care of him, he breeds the parents then sells all the puppies. When I got my dog he was 8 months old, he had another pup from that litter and 4 from an older litter. Had I found out where he lived I would of surely called animal control; hubby refused to let me do it.
Tammy S says
I agree with you that unless you are breeding your pet you should have it fixed. We have had all our dogs and cats spayed or neutered. It is just the best thing for them and to help the over population problem.
Megan says
If you adopt from a reputable rescue organization, spay/neuter procedures are generally included in the adoption fee!
Elisabeth says
I believe that all pets should be spayed and neutered too. I just wish we hadn’t waited so long to spay our two cats.
Rust says
Good post, especially the myths. I agree with spaying as soon as kittens and puppies are old enough, and def a s requirement to adopt from a shelter.
Sherrie C. says
I couldn’t agree more! It does cost a small fortune to have pets ‘fixed’ but as pet owners, it is necessary to keep the pet population down and keep them healthy.
Sarah L says
I’ve never had a un-neutered pet. It’s the best for them and for the world.
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
We had our dog neutered soon after we got him. I think everyone needs to to their part to keep the pet population at bay.
Yona says
I did not know this, but my vet told me that if you’re dog is not spayed, they have a higher chance of developing uterine cancer – that’s what happened to my dog.
Kathryn Martindale says
Like Yona, I just recently learned that my Yorkie, Ellie, is at a higher risk for developing uterine cancer because she’s not spayed. I made Ellie an appointment with my vet earlier this week to get her spayed!