Every year millions of pets are euthanized in US shelters simply because there are not enough homes. Over 17,000 were euthanized in New York City last year. Even with more people choosing to adopt rather than buy, there is simply not enough homes for all the animals. While ten thousand humans are born in the world every day, 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. The only way to keep the pet population under control is for owners to spay and neuter their pets.
1. Spaying and neutering saves lives! Spaying/neutering one dog saves 67,000 lives in six years if two survive each litter. Spaying/neutering one cat saves 420,000 lives in seven years if two survive from each litter.
2. Spaying your female cat or dog will help prevent pyometra and breast cancer. Spaying is also less expensive and easier to treat medically.
3. Neutering your male cat or dog prevents testicular cancer.
4. A spayed female will not go into heat. No yowling or frequent urination of your un- spayed cat and no bloody discharge from your un-spayed dog.
5. A neutered dog is less likely to roam. An un-neutered male will go to extremes in searching for a mate (jumping the fence/digging way out of yard). He can then get lost, hit by a car, or into a fight – and is also more likely to pick-up external/internal parasites too.
6. Neutered males are better behaved. They are less likely to: be aggressive, mark their territory with strong smelling urine and mount people or other animals. Spayed and neutered pets are more affectionate and more focused on their owner too.
7. Spaying or neutering your pet will not make them fat! Medically it has been proven otherwise. Pets become obese from lack of exercise and overfeeding as well as age which tends to slow them down a bit.
8. Spaying and neutering your pets help create a safer neighborhood. Stray animals cause problems in the community – praying on wildlife, fighting, causing traffic accidents, etc.
9. There are no benefits of letting your female have “just one litter.” Many pet owners think their dog or cat is special and unique and that is why they should breed. But shelters are already full of special and unique dogs and cats. Finding homes for the litter is not enough – an equal number of animals will then die in shelters. And what happens when the new owner doesn’t spay or neuter the puppy – what if they can no longer keep the puppy? Every time an animal dies in a shelter, someone somewhere is responsible. Please do not be that person.
10. Just because your dog is a purebred doesn’t mean it should be bred. 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred not even including those in breed-specific rescue groups.
Please help save lives by spaying and neutering your pets!
Don’t Litter – Spay or Neuter!!!
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