Parenthood vs. Pethood
Parenthood vs. Pethood
Common Myths..........and the Facts
"My pet will get fat and lazy if I neuter him/her!"
-In truth, most pets gain weight and become lazy because the owners feed their pet too much or the wrong types of food and do not give them enough exercise.
"It is better for my pet to have one litter first."
-Medical evidence shows us just the opposite. Spaying and neutering can eliminate or reduce the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very difficult or expensive to treat. For example, spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer, uterine infection and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer, particularly when your pet is spayed before the first estrous cycle. Neutering your dog reduces the incidence of prostate cancer and other prostatic disorders. Neutering your cat reduces spraying and territory marking. Spayed and neutered pets are also less likely to roam, run away or get into fights.
Spaying will eliminate the heat cycle:
Dogs - estrus lasts 6-12 days, often two times yearly
Cats - estrus lasts 6-10 days, sometimes three or more times per year
Females can cry incessantly, show nervous behavior and attract unwanted males.
"But my pet is a purebred."
-So are at least one out of every four animals brought to the animal shelters.
"I want my dog to be protective."
-Spaying and neutering dogs does not affect the natural instincts to protect the home and the family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by its hormones.
"I don't want my male cat/dog to feel any less of a male."
-Pets do not have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change the basic personality because the animal does not suffer any emotional or identity crisis when neutered.
"It is too expensive to spay or neuter."
-The cost is a one-time fee and is relatively small when compared to all the benefits. It is a bargain when compared to the cost of having a litter, ensuring the health of the mother and babies, two months of pregnancy, another two months until the litter is weaned (usually 8-weeks of age), etc. This can add up to significant vet bills and food costs, not to mention the additional financial health costs if complications develop. Most of all it is a very small price to pay for the health of your pet.
"I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens."
-Each year more than 3-4 million dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens are left in animal shelters around the country. Nearly half of these animals are euthanized because there just are not enough homes. Most are the result of irresponsible pet ownership (lost, abandoned or unwanted).*
-In 6 short years, 1 female dog and her offspring may be the source of 67,000 puppies.
-In just 7 years, 1 female cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens.*
-Every day in the U.S., more than 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. When the number is compared to 10,000 human births per day, it is easy to see that there will never be enough good homes.
-All of the "little ones" from your litter may have litters of their own in less than 1 year! Every day thousands of healthy puppies and kittens are destroyed and each one of those thousands came from "just one litter."
*Humane Society of the United States-2012
