Did you know that today, February 25, 2014, is National Spay Day? Actually February is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.
All of our pets are spayed and neutered. As soon as they are old enough we get them fixed. I would never “not” have a pet that hasn’t been fixed. Not only do I want to ensure there are not accidental births (the shelters are already overcrowded) it’s also healthier for your pet. Spaying and neutering is known to help decrease pet health issues, such as cancer, and help your pet live a happier and healthier life by your side.
To help spread the word about Nationa Spay Day, Heidi Ganahl, CEO and Founder of Camp Bow Wow, North America’s largest and fastest growing pet care franchise, has some interesting facts to share with you about the importance of having your pet spayed or neutered.
Benefits of Spaying/Neutering Your Pet
Help Fido Live a Healthy Life:
There are great health benefits for spaying and neutering; pets who are spayed or neutered live longer lives. It is estimated that neutered males lives approximately 18% longer, and spayed females about 23% longer. Spaying and neutering reduces the risk of certain types of cancers, such as uterine cancer in females and testicular or prostate cancer in males.
Help the Cause:
In the United States alone, there are an estimated 6 – 8 million pets that are homeless and wind up in shelters every year. Sadly, not even half of these pets are adopted and the rest are euthanized; most of them would have made fantastic pets for a loving family. By spaying or neutering your pet, you are ensuring that you are not adding to this statistic.
It Is Well Worth the Cost:
Many people feel that the cost of spaying and neutering is cost prohibitive, but there are local shelters and rescue groups who help families by providing low-cost spay and neuter clinics. The costs of not spaying or neutering your animal can wind up costing much more in the long run if your pet has behavior issues (such as urine marking or destructiveness), or if your dog winds up with cancer.
Myth Busted:
There are many myths about how spaying and neutering your dogs can change their behavior in ways that parents don’t want. A few myths about what will happen if you spay and neuter are your dog will become less protective, they will get fat and lazy, their personality will change, or they will feel like “less of a dog.” These thoughts are false and belief in these myths perpetuates the number of homeless animals there are in the United States.
Promote Better Behavior:
When you have a dog that is not neutered, they are more likely to roam, can have higher instances of dog bites because of the amount of testosterone in their bodies and can display behaviors like urine marking, excessive barking and mounting. Many of these behaviors can cause dogs to wind up in shelters due to behavior problems that get out of control.
Is your dog or cat spayed or neutered? If not, what are you waiting for? Please consider getting it done ASAP if possible.
Kimberly
*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this because I believe strongly about spaying/neutering animals.
Achild Children's Books - Aira Bongco says
I have not yet done this to my pet simply because I am afraid on how he may feel. I am somehow thinking of him as an extension of me. Although I have read that it makes their lives longer, I am still feeling a little apprehensive about it.