Dog and cat overpopulation is a serious matter which deserves everyone's attention.
Each year more than eight (8) million puppies, kittens, dogs and cats are put
to death in shelters across the country because there aren't enough homes for
them all. Surgical sterilization is the best way to help resolve the dog and cat
overpopulation problem. Females are spayed and males are castrated. Before you
allow your dog or cat to breed, consider the facts:
Myth - Spayed and castrated dogs and cats are less healthy.
Fact - Castrated male cats live an average of 2 years longer than those
who are intact. Dogs and cats who have been sterilized experience a 98% reduction
in certain types of cancer and infections, particularly of the urinary tract.
Myth - The experience of giving birth improves the disposition of
female dogs and cats.
Fact - There is no medical evidence to support this common misconception.
In fact, dogs and cats who are spayed before their first 'heat' are often less skittish,
tend to fight less, and are generally healthier than those who are unspayed.
Myth - A dog or cat's personality will change for the worse after surgery.
Fact - Just the opposite is true. Dogs and cats who have been sterilized are less likely
to roam, they bond more closely with their human guardians, and they have fewer
undesirable habits like fighting and spraying urine.
Myth - My kittens or puppies are so adorable .. it will be easy to find
homes for them.
Fact - The sad truth is that, although all puppies and kittens are adorable,
there just aren't enough homes to go around. Seven out of every ten of the dogs and cats taken
to shelters are put to death. And, half of all the dogs and cats born each year die
in shelters, laboratories, or on the streets.
Myth - Sterilizing dogs and cats is unnatural. We should let nature
take its course and not interfere.
Fact - Companion dogs and cats are bred by human beings for human
companionship. We breed these defenseless creatures and then kill millions of
them each year -- This is unnatural!! Spaying and castrating is the humane solution.
Myth - The surgery is dangerous.
Fact - These surgeries are routinely performed by veterinarians and are safe.
They involve removing portions of the reproductive tract and can be done as
early as a couple months of age. Most dogs and cats are back to their normal
activities within a day or two after the surgery.