Spay and Neuter your Pet!

 I had a discussion with a friend today, and it had me realize that there are so many people out there that don't understand the severity of the situation. I think anyone who wants to breed their dogs or cats irresponsibly, should have to do research in the surrounding area of all the shelters. I think they should see the faces of the kittens and puppies without homes. I hear the excuse of "Well my puppies will be cute! They will find homes." I've heard this on numerous different occasions. But any puppy is cute. Any Kitten is cute. Still there are countless faces begging for help behind these shelter gates. By breeding your animal, you contribute to the overpopulating of animals which you claim to love. Irresponsible breeding irritates me beyond no end. I've worked with animals many years and I have seen many situations. I think if people had to have been in my shoes, they might think more about the topic of "fixing" their pet. 


Statistics show, that every day 10k people are born to the world. Every day 70k puppies and kittens are born. Are you seeing the issue here? There is simply no where near enough homes for all the animals already existing, and people are bring more into the world. So your puppy or kitten can be cute as a button, and that does not make it's chances any better. What happens when that puppy you have given grows up? It turns into a dog that is less cute,  bigger (in most cases), and with more responsibilities. Any behavioral issues of the animal, will be as a result of poor breeding and poor genetics. But the animal doesn't even truly have to have any "issues". Some people just want another puppy, and then that dog that was SO CUTE as a puppy to you.. Is now in a shelter, hoping someone will save them. While more people are breeding more animals, slimming down the chances. You have no control where the puppy ends up later in life. You have control over immediate homes, but when this puppy grows up and isn't as cute, then what? 

One unspayed cat and an unaltered male, along with all their offspring at just 2 litters a year (when most have 3-4 a year) with just 3 surviving kittens a litter in six years can total 66, 100 cats. ONE pair that had been allowed to breed, could open the door to that many kittens down the line. 

There are a lot of reasons to spay or neuter your pet, that doesn't deal with the outcome of puppies or kittens.
Did you know, that unaltered dogs are responsible for 95% of maulings?  Of that, approximately 60% of those attacks are children.
They also are more prone to wander. An unaltered male will roam in search of a female if he can smell them. No fence will hold a dog that wants to pass on it's genes back..  And an unspayed female will roam the same way. Seeking out the male if they smell one close by.. (And it's amazing how one unspayed female can attract so much attention from neighborhood dogs!)


The worst combination is two unspayed females. Get them both spayed to increase the chance they may get along. They will not identify themselves as being siblings, family, or anything. It won't make any difference to them what they are to each other.

Spayed and Neutered animals are far less likely to get things such as uterine or testicular cancer, among other things.


There are plenty of resource sites, and places that offer low cost-spay or neutering. As an animal activist, and someone who truly loves the animals in the world.. I beg of you to take a look and see what I mean. Do some of your own research if you like. But save your dogs and cats, by doing the one selfless thing you could do for them. Being a responsible pet owner.