World Spay Day: Time To Get It Done

World Spay Day — the last Tuesday of February — was initiated by The Doris Day Animal League as Spay Day USA in 1995 when the estimated euthanasia rate in overcrowded shelters was between 14 and 17 million dogs and cats each year. While there is still much work to be done, The Humane Society of the United States reports that the estimated number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters has dropped to 2.7 million annually.

Millions of pet deaths each year are a needless tragedy. By spaying and neutering your pet, you can be an important part of the solution.

Why spay or neuter?

REDUCE PET HOMELESSNESS

The number of homeless animals varies by state—in some states there are as many as 300,000 homeless animals euthanized in animal shelters every year. These are not the offspring of homeless "street" animals—these are the puppies and kittens of cherished family pets and even purebreds.

YOUR PET’S HEALTH

Part of the reduced lifespan of unaltered pets can be attributed to an increased urge to roam, exposing them to fights with other animals, getting struck by cars and other mishaps.

Another contributor to the increased longevity of altered pets involves the reduced risk of certain types of cancers. Unspayed female cats and dogs have a far greater chance of developing pyrometra (a fatal uterine infection), uterine cancer, and other cancers of the reproductive system.

CURB BAD BEHAVIOR

Unneutered dogs are much more assertive and prone to urine-marking (lifting their leg) than neutered dogs. The urge to spray is extremely strong in an intact cat. The simplest solution is to get your cat neutered or spayed by 4 months of age before there's even a problem. It can also minimize howling, the urge to roam and fighting with other males.

Other behavioral problems that can be helped by spaying/neutering include roaming especially when females are "in heat," aggression (studies also show that most dogs bites involve dogs who are unaltered), excessive barking, mounting and other dominance-related behaviors.

CUT COSTS

When you factor in the long-term costs potentially incurred by a non-altered pet, the savings afforded by spay/neuter are clear especially given the availability of low-cost spay/neuter clinics like All About Animals Rescue in Flint and Warren.

Caring for a pet with reproductive system cancer or pyometra can easily run into the thousands of dollars—five to ten times as much as a routine spay surgery. Unaltered pets can be more destructive or high-strung around other dogs. Serious fighting is more common between unaltered pets of the same gender and can incur high veterinary costs.

Source: The Humane Society of the United States