Okay, first things first. Why should you adopt? That's simple ~ because there are so damn many perfectly healthy dogs and cats on death row because the shelters are way too overcrowded. Avoid pet stores that sell puppies and kittens, and ADOPT from a shelter instead! They're easy to find, just do an online search for your county, state and 'animal shelters'. I guarantee there's one near you. A comprehensive list of shelters will be coming to this page soon.
Next up, getting your pet 'fixed'. Some good reasons why you should spay or neuter your pet:
4 Spaying or neutering increases your pet's chances for a longer, healthier life.
Spaying your pet before her first estrous cycle (that is, before she reaches sexual maturity) greatly reduces her chances of developing breast cancer and completely eliminates the threat of uterine and ovarian cancer and uterine infection, which are common occurrences in unaltered females.
Neutering your male dog or cat prevents testicular tumors and may prevent prostate problems. Neutering also decreases the possibility of perianal tumors and hernias, which are commonly observed in older, unaltered dogs. Because neutered cats are less likely to roam, the threat of abscesses caused by bites and diseases transmitted by fighting are greatly reduced.
4 An altered dog or cat is a better pet for your family.
Males neutered early in life are less aggressive toward other males and are not distracted by females in heat. Therefore, a neutered male will be less tempted to leave your property and cross that dangerous highway searching for a mate. Neutered males also are less likely to mark every one of your (or your neighbor's) expensive shrubs with his urine as well as inside the house.
Spaying your female pet eliminates the problem of stray males camping in your yard and decreases her desire to roam and breed.
4 No family wants to cope with an unwanted pregnancy.
Spaying prevents your pet from giving birth to unwanted puppies or kittens.
4 Spaying results in a cleaner female dog and home.
Because female dogs pass bloody fluid for about ten days, twice a year, as a part of their estrous cycle, constant care must be taken to avoid carpet stains in homes with such animals. Spaying your dog eliminates this problem.
4 You are helping to alleviate the dog and cat overpopulation problem.
Each year, millions of unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized (killed) at shelters across the country. Although behavioral problems is one of the reasons animals are given to shelters, many orphans are the result of accidental breeding by free-roaming, unaltered pets. The more pets spayed or neutered, the fewer dogs and cats will have to be destroyed.
Common excuses for not spaying or neutering pets - and the facts that should blow the excuses away:
l Excuse: My pet will get fat and lazy.
Facts: Neutering or spaying may diminish your pet's overall activity level, natural tendency to wander, and hormonal balances, which may influence appetite. Pets that become fat and lazy after being altered usually are overfed and do not get enough exercise.
l Excuse: It would be too cruel to do that to my pet!
Facts: Your pet does not have the ability to hold a grudge against you because you made this decision. A male dog doesn't have the same attachment to his genitals as human men do, and female dogs and cats do not 'need' to give birth to feel fulfilled - those are human issues!
l Excuse: We want another pet just like Rover and Fluffy.
Facts: Breeding two purebred animals rarely results in offspring that are exactly like one of the parents. With mixed breeds it is virtually impossible to have offspring that are exactly like one of the parents, but mixed breeds usually don't have the same types of medical and temperament problems that plague some pure breeds.
l Excuse: I don't have enough money for this procedure.
Facts: You can't afford not to do it. Most communities have humane shelters and low-cost spay/neuter clinics that offer affordable services. Contact your veterinarian, your local shelter, or click on the SpayUSA banner at the top of this page. It can be much more costly to you if you have a pregnant female with pups to take care of, or if you have to split the veterinarian bills with your neighbor because your male got their female pregnant. And don't think having an indoor animal changes things, because pets do sometimes get out, no matter how diligent you are - I once had my cats both released outside during a party, apparently by someone who thought all cats go out.
l Excuse: My pet's personality will change.
Facts: Any change will be for the better. After being altered, your pet will be less aggressive toward other dogs or cats, have a better personality, and will be less likely to wander. Spraying (urine marking), which is often done by dogs and cats to mark their territory, diminishes or ceases after pets are altered.
l Excuse: We can sell puppies or kittens and make money.
Facts: Even well-known breeders are fortunate if they break even on raising purebred litters. The cost of raising such a litter -- which includes stud fees, vaccinations and other health care costs, and feeding a quality food -- consumes most of the "profit." Well-known breeders raise breeds that they like. These breeders also try to improve the standard of the breeds they raise.
l Excuse: My children should witness our pet giving birth.
Facts: Pets often have their litters in the middle of the night or in a place of their own choosing. Because pets need privacy when giving birth, any unnecessary intrusion can cause the mother to become seriously upset. These intrusions can result in an unwillingness to care for the offspring or in injury to the owners or to the pet. There are other ways your children can experience the wonders of nature.
l Excuse: I am concerned about my pet undergoing anesthesia.
Facts: Placing a pet under anesthesia is a very common concern of owners. Although there is always a slight risk involved, the anesthetics currently used by veterinarians are very safe. Many veterinarians use equipment that monitors heart and respiratory rates during surgery to ensure that their patients are doing well under anesthesia. Thus, the medical benefits of having your pet spayed or neutered far outweigh the slight risk involved with undergoing anesthesia. Consult your veterinarian if your are concerned about this aspect of the procedure.
Some of the above information adapted from "Should You Spay/Neuter Your Pet?" by Alpo Pet foods, and by PETsMART.com.
Also, please, please, please - keep your cats inside, and your dog either on a leash or securely in a fenced in yard! If you own a dog or cat, keep in mind these are domesticated animals - they are people animals, not wild ones, and letting them run around is a bad thing, period. Wild dogs and feral cats were once either someone's pet or their offspring. Pets that run around loose are more likely to have fleas and ticks, are morely likely to be hurt or killed by other animals, diseases, inhumane people, and vehicles. Unfortunately, I know that pain [click here]. You don't want it. So do yourself -and your pets- a favor, and keep them safely inside, leashed or fenced.
Use your 'Back" button to return to the page you came from, or click here to go to SolitaryPhoenix. I can only hope that the inclusion of this information on key pages of my domain may stop the overpopulation problem of helpless animals in this country. Please ~ adopt, spay/neuter, and leash/fence. Thanks.