| We believe in every pet deserves a warm home |
Fayette County Animal Shelter
About spaying & neutering your pet
The Importance of Spaying/Neutering Your Pet
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Every year, tens of thousands of dogs, and particularly cats, are euthanized (put
down) because there are not enough homes for them. It all starts with one female
cat, followed by her offspring, breeding for only seven years, and you have
420,000 cats. It takes slightly less time for one female dog and her offspring to
produce 67,000 dogs. Many companion animals will never find loving homes, even
though most are young, healthy and friendly.
Pet overpopulation is at crisis levels, and if we are to overcome this crisis, pet
owners must take responsibility for their companion animals by having them
spayed or neutered.
If people had their pets spayed or neutered, many thousands of animals could be
saved. Spaying and neutering are safe surgical operations that prevent animals
from reproducing. Spaying is the removal of a female animal's ovaries and uterus;
neutering is the removal of a male's testicles. These procedures generally do not
even require an overnight stay in a veterinary clinic, and can eliminate or
significantly reduce the risk of an animal developing numerous health problems,
some of which may shorten their lives. These include reproductive cancers and
infections, as well as behaviour problems such as territorial marking,
destructiveness and aggression. Animals who have been spayed or neutered are
much less likely to roam in search of mates. When female dogs and cats are not
spayed, they go into heat and this can attract males. While searching for mates,
animals can get hit by cars, injured in fights, or lost and even stolen. Others end
up in animal pounds. Keeping animals inside doesn't guarantee safety, as they may
escape by accident.
The safety of both male and female animals is dramatically increased if they are
spayed or neutered.
Common Questions
Will neutering my dog/cat make him fat and lazy?
Neutering might reduce an animal's activity level, but this need not result in
weight gain. A healthy diet and sufficient exercise can help your pet maintain a
healthy weight.
Don't spaying and neutering interfere with nature?
Domesticated dogs and cats are completely dependent on humans. It's our
responsibility as their guardians to make sure the number of companion animals
born doesn't exceed the number of available homes.
What about other animals?
For health and behavioural reasons, spaying and neutering are also recommended
for rabbits. Female ferrets should also be spayed. If they go into heat and don't
mate, they can become anemic and die. Veterinarians recommend spaying and
neutering guinea pigs but consider surgery unsafe for small rodents such as
hamsters because of their size. Separating males from females is the best way to
prevent small rodents from reproducing.
Should my female dog be allowed to have one litter?
There's no reason for a female dog to have even one litter. It won't make her a
better companion, and it will increase the likelihood that she will develop
mammary cancer. Spaying a dog before she goes into heat even once greatly
reduces the risk of her developing mammary cancer.
If I adopt from my local humane society, will my pet be sterilized?
The Ontario SPCA spays or neuters every healthy, adult animal before adoption
from our shelters. When adopted animals are too young to be spayed or neutered,
the Society offers rebate incentives to encourage owners to take their new
companions to their veterinarians for the procedure. These steps are expected to
improve sterilization rates and make a big difference towards reducing pet
overpopulation crisis.
For more information, please contact your veterinarian
Online article, Author Unknown
down) because there are not enough homes for them. It all starts with one female
cat, followed by her offspring, breeding for only seven years, and you have
420,000 cats. It takes slightly less time for one female dog and her offspring to
produce 67,000 dogs. Many companion animals will never find loving homes, even
though most are young, healthy and friendly.
Pet overpopulation is at crisis levels, and if we are to overcome this crisis, pet
owners must take responsibility for their companion animals by having them
spayed or neutered.
If people had their pets spayed or neutered, many thousands of animals could be
saved. Spaying and neutering are safe surgical operations that prevent animals
from reproducing. Spaying is the removal of a female animal's ovaries and uterus;
neutering is the removal of a male's testicles. These procedures generally do not
even require an overnight stay in a veterinary clinic, and can eliminate or
significantly reduce the risk of an animal developing numerous health problems,
some of which may shorten their lives. These include reproductive cancers and
infections, as well as behaviour problems such as territorial marking,
destructiveness and aggression. Animals who have been spayed or neutered are
much less likely to roam in search of mates. When female dogs and cats are not
spayed, they go into heat and this can attract males. While searching for mates,
animals can get hit by cars, injured in fights, or lost and even stolen. Others end
up in animal pounds. Keeping animals inside doesn't guarantee safety, as they may
escape by accident.
The safety of both male and female animals is dramatically increased if they are
spayed or neutered.
Common Questions
Will neutering my dog/cat make him fat and lazy?
Neutering might reduce an animal's activity level, but this need not result in
weight gain. A healthy diet and sufficient exercise can help your pet maintain a
healthy weight.
Don't spaying and neutering interfere with nature?
Domesticated dogs and cats are completely dependent on humans. It's our
responsibility as their guardians to make sure the number of companion animals
born doesn't exceed the number of available homes.
What about other animals?
For health and behavioural reasons, spaying and neutering are also recommended
for rabbits. Female ferrets should also be spayed. If they go into heat and don't
mate, they can become anemic and die. Veterinarians recommend spaying and
neutering guinea pigs but consider surgery unsafe for small rodents such as
hamsters because of their size. Separating males from females is the best way to
prevent small rodents from reproducing.
Should my female dog be allowed to have one litter?
There's no reason for a female dog to have even one litter. It won't make her a
better companion, and it will increase the likelihood that she will develop
mammary cancer. Spaying a dog before she goes into heat even once greatly
reduces the risk of her developing mammary cancer.
If I adopt from my local humane society, will my pet be sterilized?
The Ontario SPCA spays or neuters every healthy, adult animal before adoption
from our shelters. When adopted animals are too young to be spayed or neutered,
the Society offers rebate incentives to encourage owners to take their new
companions to their veterinarians for the procedure. These steps are expected to
improve sterilization rates and make a big difference towards reducing pet
overpopulation crisis.
For more information, please contact your veterinarian
Online article, Author Unknown