Myths and Facts About Spaying and Neutering
MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their
owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise.
MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.
FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the
evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically
healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight
weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these
procedures.
Please check the link below on "Early Spay/Neuter".
MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth—which is
unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion—the lesson they will
really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults.
Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life and
that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others. Many
local shelters are in desperate need of foster homes for pregnant
females. Most will provide food, supplies and medical care.
MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.
FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal
shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed
and purebred.
MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to
protect home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and
environment than by sex hormones.
MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a
male.
FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering
will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of
emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.
MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten)
just like her.
FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean her
offspring will be a carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow
generations of bloodlines can't guarantee they will get just what they want out
of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances are even slimmer. In fact, an
entire litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet's (and her
mate's) worst characteristics. Local animal shelters are filled with cages of SPECIAL cats and dogs.
MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and
age of the pet, your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But
whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost—a
relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It's a bargain compared
to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and litter;
two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can
add up to significant veterinary bills and food costs if complications develop.
Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and
the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets. Call your local shelter, many have information on low cost spay/neuter programs.
MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter. But each home
you find means one less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good
homes. Also, in less than one year's time, each of your pet's offspring may have
his or her own litter, adding even more animals to the population. The problem
of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.
The Humane Society of the United States.
Please Spay and Neuter your Pets
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