There are many scientific studies that prove many reasons to why it is beneficial to spay and neuter your animal. One of many reasons spaying or neutering your animal.
Communities where stray dogs and cats are overpopulation are a serious problem. This can lead to dogs and cats constantly reproducing more dogs and cats into a life that is already causing suffering, attacking one another, and even kids or adults, especially when dogs form stray packs.
For an individual dog or cat owner and not a dog or cat rescuer or advocate, for someone that doesn’t want to spay or neuter, I know you can feel like it’s an attack on you or your right to alter your dog or not, and you as a responsible owner. But, what about your animals rights? Would it be selfish to only think about how you are affected? I’m sure you love your dog or cat and are a responsible dog or cat owner, but there is more for think about than just ourselves and our dog or cat. We need to think about the massive overall issues of not spaying or neutering your animal at hand as a collective to make a real difference for so many suffering animals. Ones just like your dog or cat.
Now, if you have seen and deal with what we do on a daily basis, to truly be exposed to what’s really going on out there with the abuse and overpopulation of animals, I think you would understand our passionate dedication and reasonings for spaying and neutering.
Spaying or neutering your dog, cat or rabbit doesn’t just help prevent accidental litters. It also has health and behavioural benefits for your pet.
Benefits of spaying and neutering your pet
Generally, neutering decreases aggressive behaviours in pets
- Neutered dogs are calmer and less likely to bite, attack or get into dog fights.
- Neutered cats and rabbits don’t have the drive to mark and protect their territories and are less likely to spray or get into fights, resulting in fewer injuries.
Spaying ends the heat cycle in females
- Heat cycles are usually twice a year for dogs, and result in many unwanted behavioural changes including possible aggression.
- Cats generally go in and out of heat every three weeks between January and November.
- Female cats in heat can howl relentlessly, may try to escape to mate, spray or urinate inappropriately and attract unwanted male cats.
Spaying and neutering lowers the chance of reproductive health problems
- Studies show that spayed/neutered pets, on average, live longer.
- Spaying eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer and pyometra (life-threatening infection of the uterus) in dogs, cats, and rabbits. Up to 80% of unspayed rabbits will develop uterine cancer.
- Spaying reduces the risk of mammary cancer in cats, dogs, and rabbits.
- Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer in all species and lowers the risk of prostate problems in male
- Spaying and neutering eliminates the drive to reproduce
- The likelihood of your male pet wandering away or escaping will be decreased.
- Male dogs can smell a female in heat up to a kilometre away.
- Once neutered, your pet will be less frustrated and may become a calmer companion.
Spaying and neutering provides an opportunity to have other important procedures performed
- Other procedures, as necessary, can also be done at the time of the operation.
- This includes procedures such as an identification tattoo or microchip, teeth cleaning, hernia repair and baby teeth removal.
Spaying and neutering prevents accidental pregnancies
- Research shows that the majority of cat pregnancies are unintended.
- Pregnancy is hard on the mom physically. Prenatal care, birth complications, and puppy/kitten care can be costly.
Spaying and neutering helps your community
- Research shows that, as an individual, you help reduce overpopulation issues in your community when you spay or neuter your pet.
- Spaying and neutering your pet helps reduce the number of stray or unwanted animals in your community.
- Reducing the amount of stray animals helps prevent other pets and wildlife from being injured or killed in fights.
- Fixing your pet helps lessen the amount of stray animals getting into or causing car accidents, getting into garbage cans and damaging property.