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Spay/Neuter Information
One of the most responsible things you can do as a dog owner, hands down, is to "speuter" (spay or neuter) your dog. Doing so has both health and behavioral benefits for the dog, and many ownership benefits for you. It also helps the community - you are doing your part to combat overpopulation problems as well as increase public safety and save taxpayer money.
Why you should speuter your pet(s)
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Speutered pets are less likely to develop reproductive cancers
- Speutered pets live longer - one to three years on average
- Speutered pets are less likely to roam in search of a mate and therefore are at less risk of escaping from your property (where they could be hit by a car, shot, stolen, or taken to a shelter)
- Speutered pets are less likely to develop aggressive behaviors
- Speutered pets are more bonded to their owner, more attentive, and more affectionate
- Spayed females do not go into heat and therefore you do not have the annoying behaviors (crying, pacing, attracting unwanted males) that go hand in hand
- Neutered males are less likely to spray/mark inappropriate objects
- Speutered pets are less likely to fight with other animals.
- A speutered pet will not contribute to the severe pet overpopulation problem by producing offspring, even accidentally.
A study by Karen Delise also showed that unneutered male dogs are overwhelmingly more likely to be involved in a fatal attack on a person than speutered dogs.
If these benefits aren't reason enough, remember that speutering - a relatively quick, inexpensive surgery - has the potential to save you a bundle of money in the long run (imagine how expensive it is to have a litter of puppies, or treat reproductive cancer, or pay the vet when your dog gets hit by a car while roaming, or deal with a lawsuit when your unneutered male dog bites someone, etc.).
There is simply no good reason not to speuter your pet(s).
When and how to speuter your pet
You should talk to your vet about the best time to speuter your pet. Many vets prefer to wait until six months of age, although some vets, and most shelters, will speuter as early as two months. There is really no such thing as "too late".
You can have your pet speutered at your regular vet. There are also many low cost or free spay/neuter clinics available if money is an issue for you. To find a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, ask your local shelter or humane society. Or, call SpayUSA, a referral service, toll-free at 1-800-248-SPAY to find out about the low-cost options near you. Some places even offer free spay/neuter services to owners of pit bulls and pit mixes.
Resources for More Information
Friends of Animals Low Cost Spay/Neuter Certificate
AVMA - What You Should Know About Spaying and Neutering
Overpopulation is Expensive!
When talking about the pet overpopulation problem, you most often hear about how it negatively affects the animals - due to severe pet overpopulation, an estimated four to six million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the U.S. Even if an animal's life is meaningless to you, you should consider the enormous burden this overpopulation problem places on the taxpayer. Communities spend an inordinate amount of money dealing with stray and unwanted animals. Tax money gets spent on necessities such as animal shelters and animal control departments. Without these vital entities, our neighborhoods would be overrun by stray and unwanted animals. Although we would require these entities even if overpopulation wasn't a problem, their duties and expenses would be significantly scaled back and they could focus on essential services, such as preventing animal abuse.
Copyright 2000-2007 by Jennifer
Thomas. Please read the disclaimer.
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