>> Why Spay or Neuter Your Pet? (11/08)

A Message from Sheriff Ted Mink

Spaying and neutering are part of smart, responsible pet ownership.  Our Animal Control officers urge you to have your pets spayed or neutered.  These routine and affordable surgeries improve your pets? health and help reduce pet overpopulation ? a widespread problem that results in thousands of euthanizations each year.

What is Spaying/Neutering?
Spaying is the sterilization of female pets, and neutering is the sterilization of male pets.  Each is a safe surgical procedure performed while your pet is under general anesthesia.  A pet that undergoes either procedure will have stitches or staples for a short time, and the incision will heal in about two weeks.

Most vets agree that spaying or neutering should be done before a pet is able to reproduce.  Surgeries are usually done on pets between the ages of six months and one year, but can be done on pets as young as two months.  However, if your pet is already an adult, it's not too late to have the procedure done.
 
Healthier Pets
Altering your pets can help them resist disease, and can even extend their lives.  Removing the reproductive organs of female and male pets reduces or eliminates the chance of developing breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and testicular cancer.  It can also help prevent infectious diseases, prostate enlargement and other health problems. 

Reduced Behavioral Problems
Spaying and neutering may also reduce the impact of pets' reproductive hormones, making them less aggressive and less likely to roam, spray, mount and mark.

Is it Cruel?
Altering animals was once considered by some to be unnatural or cruel.  Owners worried that their pets ? especially male dogs ? would lose "status" among other dogs.  But times have changed.  Today spaying and neutering are the rule, rather than the exception.  Spayed and neutered animals tend to be more behaviorally sound, and tend to live longer than unaltered animals. 

Veterinarians, shelters, animal control agencies and animal rights organizations agree: spaying and neutering are responsible practices that lead to healthier pet populations.  Many vets subsidize spay/neuter services.  

Pet Overpopulation
In 2007, more than 43,000 pets were euthanized due to a shortage of adopting homes in Colorado.  In Colorado ? and throughout the United States ? there are more pets than there are welcoming homes. 

Failure to spay and neuter pets leads to random breeding.  According to the Pet Overpopulation Fund, in six years a female dog and her offspring can produce up to 67,000 other dogs. A female cat and her offspring can produce up to 420,000 kittens in just seven years.

Spaying and neutering is not only beneficial for your pet, but for the well-being of pets in the community.  Even if you find loving homes for all the puppies or kittens in your pet's litter, it means there will be fewer homes to take in any of the thousands of unwanted pets in Colorado. 

Where Can I Obtain Discounted Services?
In Jefferson County, the Table Mountain Animal Center offers discounted spay/neuter services.  Dog surgeries are $60, cat surgeries are $40, and rabbit surgeries are $75.  For more information, visit www.tmac4pets.org or call 720-407-5215.

Last Modified: Mar 28, 2009 10:18 PM