The reasons why you should spay and neuter your pets are manifold. In the United States alone, there are about 5,500 puppies and kittens born every hour.  That’s a lot considering there are only about 415 human babies born every hour.  A lot of these puppies and kittens end up in the wild, in the streets or if they’re a little lucky, in animal shelters.  On average, about 6 to 8 million cats and dogs are placed in animal shelters every year.  Around half of these animals are never adopted and are thus killed, or euthanized as referred by most.  This is the harsh reality of pet overpopulation.

Spaying and Neutering Pets Saves Lives

There is a solution to this problem – neuter or spay pets.  This may not save all of those animals in one day but it’s a small step towards eradicating pet overpopulation.  If you can’t take care of any more pets, don’t let your pet have any new ones.

The more pets are neutered or spayed, the less unwanted, abandoned and killed animals there will be.  Simple as that.  This means there will be less feral dogs and cats  running loose in the wild or in our streets exposed starvation, disease, injury, people’s malice and other dangers.   There will no longer be sad stories of people dumping puppies on the side of the road then driving away as if nothing happened.  Animal shelters will have less strays to deal with and less orphans to kill.

Spay and neutering doesn’t have to be expensive

A lot of people seem to think that it’s very expensive to spay and neuter your pets. There are a lot of non-profit organizations and pet care movements that offer low-cost spaying and neutering services.  Some offer their services free.  In any given situation, the costs of raising a newborn kitten or pup overshadow the costs of spaying and neutering your pet.

Other Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Pets

• Your pets will live longer, healthier lives.  Studies show that spaying prevents incidences of uterine infection and breast cancer.  Likewise, neutering prevents prostate and testicular cancer.
• It saves taxpayer money.  That’s right.  It costs about $100 tax dollars to capture, shelter, feed and euthanize one homeless animal.
• It discourages sexually aggressive and unpleasant behaviour.  Cats when in heat tend to yowl and urinate anywhere when calling out for mates during breeding season.
• Neutered and spayed pets usually stop territorial behavior such as spraying on floors and furniture.  It also reduced hormone-driven behavior such as mounting and lunging.
• It’s more cost-effective to spay and neuter your pets than to take care of pregnant pets or their litter.

Be A Responsible Pet Guardian

Neutering and spaying pets is our solid defense against pet overpopulation.  We may blame animal shelters for killing surplus pets but pet overpopulation is a problem brought on by irresponsible pet owners, those who allowed their pets to freely breed, and of irresponsible pet breeders.

Put yourself in your pet’s shoes (or paws).  Imagine how you would feel if someone took away your baby because they couldn’t afford to take care of him/her anymore, then place the baby under the care of strangers?  Imagine your baby being put to death because he couldn’t find a loving family who’s willing to take care of him.  Well, that’s what we do with nonhuman animals.

There’s nothing morally wrong about altering your pet to prevent unmonitored breeding, just as there is nothing wrong with using contraceptive measures to prevent pregnancies among us, humans.  So let’s put a stop to the killings.  Spay and neuter  your pets now.

Marisa

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