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THE IMPORTANCE OF SPAYING OR NEUTERING YOUR PET

The Humane Society of the United States says that “In the US, there are an estimated 6—8 million homeless animals entering animal shelters every year. Barely half of these animals are adopted. Tragically, the rest are euthanized. These are healthy, sweet pets that would have made great companions.” There are an estimated 2.7 million adoptable dogs and cats that are put to sleep in shelters every year. In many cases, these aren’t stray animals. They are puppies and kittens that were the result of an unwanted litter. The most tragic thing about the high rate of euthanasia within shelters is that these unwanted animals are easily prevented by spaying (for females) or neutering (for males) family pets. This process is commonly referred to as “fixing” your pet. Spaying involves a veterinarian removing the reproductive organs of a female animal. Neutering is when the testes are removed from a male animal. Pets that are fixed are no longer able to have offspring. In addition to reducing the number of unwanted animals in shelters, spaying or neutering offers a number of benefits for your pet. Current research in the field of veterinary medicine has found that pets that have been fixed are more likely to live longer lives. According to an article published in USA Today , “Unneutered or spayed pets are also at greater risk for certain cancers. Neutering male pets decreases their chances of developing prostatic enlargement and disease and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer. Spaying female pets eliminates the risk of pyometra, a life-threatening infection of the uterus. If a female is spayed before her first heat cycle, chances of developing breast cancer drop dramatically as well.”

Dog Ownership & Training

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