Reasons to Spay and Neuter

We are super excited that the weather is changing.  Fall and Spring are busy times at the shelter, the cooler temperatures have everyone moving with more energy and enthusiasm. 

This week we want to share with you why spaying and neutering your pet is important.  First and foremost if more pets were neutered, the need for the humane society in the community might be extinct.  I know you probably think us crazy animal people will never go away, but honestly we could be forced to just sit home and enjoy our own pets, if we weren’t out rescuing and caring for unwanted dogs and cats.

So if you need more reasons than letting us crazy dog people stay at with our pets, take a look at the list of reasons why you should spay and neuter you pet.

1. Unwanted pregnancies
The problem with an intact male is that it’s hard for him to resist a female in heat! An intact male can run away and follow the smell of a female in heat located miles away. 

2. Pet overpopulation

Sadly, 3 to 4 million of unwanted pets are euthanized each year. At least some of these deaths could have been prevented by neutering males (and spaying females). In the shelter world, this is known as pet overpopulation. This is the number one reason the humane society exist. 

3. Behavior 
Unneutered pets have all kinds of behavioral problems. In male dogs, the most common behavior is an aggressive temper.  Of course, there are many intact pets who are perfectly sweet.  Neutering, when done early in life, can reduce aggressiveness and improve behavior overall. For example, it decreases the always-embarrassing "mounting" behavior in dogs.

4. Marking
Few things smell worse than intact male cat urine.  Some people make their indoor cat an outdoor cat when they can't tolerate the smell anymore. This increases the risk of being hit by a car. Neutering, when done early enough in life, virtually eliminates the odor of male cat urine and should prevent marking in male dogs.

5. Roaming and getting in trouble or lost.
Pets are rarely taught how to cross the street safely. So as they roam, searching for a partner or looking for trouble, they might get hit by a car. Neutering decreases the urge to roam or run away from home. In addition, neutering decreases the risk of getting into fights.

An added risk of roaming is getting lost, every year, millions of pets get lost. Some are returned to their owner. Most are not.  To decrease the risk of such a tragedy happening in your family, neuter your pet, pet-proof the fence in your backyard and always keep your pet on a leash during walks. In addition, talk to your vet about the benefits of tattoos and microchips.

So since there is a need for us crazy dog people, this last week we were able to send a few of our older dogs to Mary’s Rescue.  These dogs have fore-ever homes waiting on them when they arrive. One of the benefits to working with Mary’s Rescue is we are able to follow these dogs as they bond with their new families. 

~ ConnieKayA~
   Doggie Mom