Pet Overpopulation and the Importance of Spay/Neuter

Spay/Neuter: Benefits of Prevention

Myths and Misconceptions

Overpopulation and Pet Cloning

Solutions

Overpopulation and Spay/Neuter

One of the primary problems facing dogs and cats is their ability to reproduce an exponential number of offspring. Domesticated dogs and cats have long since been removed from the wild environments that once naturally limited their populations, and as a result, more animals of each of litter born survive and go on to reproduce as adults.

This modern day imbalance allows for exponential reproduction rates among dogs and cats that contribute to a population of some 30 million puppies and kittens born in the United States each year. Unfortunately, there simply are not enough responsible, loving homes for every one of these deserving animals. Estimates suggest that only one out every 10 animals born will find a permanent home. For those animals who do not find homes, the outcomes are grim:

• Six million dogs and cats will end up in our nation’s animal shelters and rescues each year; about one-half of these animals will be killed.
• Fifty percent of feral kittens born each year do not survive; these kittens come from adult feral and stray cats who often breed with unaltered house cats. 
• Five to 10 million stray dogs and cats live on U.S. streets; many starve to death.
• One and a half to two million pets are stolen or taken from families each year in the U.S. Only 10% are reunited with their families—the rest end up in research labs, dogfighting rings, puppy mills or other abusive and cruel situations.

Spay/Neuter: Benefits of Prevention                                                             Back To Top

For the Animals

Spaying and neutering companion animals often eliminates undesirable behaviors such as fighting, spraying, and roaming. These typical behaviors that land otherwise friendly, sociable creatures in animal shelters generally will diminish with a spay/neuter surgery and allow for a calmer, more content pet. The positive benefits of spay/neuter surgeries make it easy to see why sterilized pets have a higher success rate of staying in the home. Of course, surgery alone is not enough to ensure a permanent home or acceptable pet behavior—dogs and cats need positive training and socialization on a regular basis as well as a stable, loving environment.

Sterilizing dogs and cats is also beneficial to their health. When performed under anesthesia by a licensed veterinarian, spay/neuter surgeries are simple, safe, and painless. A companion animal who is sterilized is likely to be spared:

• cancer of the reproductive organs in both males and females

• leaking of blood during the female dog’s heat period and extensive vocalizations in cats

• complications during pregnancy and delivery that may cost the female her life and those of her litter

• offspring born with life-threatening defects

For the Local Community

The short-term financial investments made into aggressive community spay/neuter efforts for both domestic cats and dogs as well as feral cats are often large; however, the long-term benefits are far out weight these initial costs: thousands of lives are spared and potentially millions in tax-payer dollars can be better spent on rescue and adoption efforts rather than ineffective and inhumane capture and kill methods of “managing” pet overpopulation.

Of course, no dollar amount can ever be put on the value of sparing millions of unborn kittens and puppies from a life of pain and suffering.

Myths and Misconceptions                                                                             Back To Top

There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding spaying and neutering companion animals. Here are just a few:

“The surgery costs too much.” While it is true that spay/neuter surgeries can be a financial challenge, with a little planning, it can be done! If you already have an unaltered animal, check your local animal rescues and shelters for low-cost spay/neuter surgery programs or other forms financial assistance, such as vouchers, to help offset costs. If you do not yet have an animal, consider letting the shelter do the work—adopt only a cat or dog that has already received the surgery.

“I thought animals have to be at least six months old.” According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, puppies and kittens can be safely spayed between eight and 16 weeks assuming there are no medical issues preventing surgery.

“My pet will get fat.” Many cats and dogs are spayed or neutered at an age when they are naturally gaining weight as they grow into adulthood. Furthermore, there is little scientific evidence that these surgeries cause weight gain; proper balance of diet and exercise will ensure pets stay within a healthy weight range.

“Puppies and kittens are cute—we can find enough homes for them all.” Plain and simple, this belief is not true. In reality, a lack of homes forces pet owners to relinquish thousands of “easily placed” puppies and kittens to animal shelters each year. Countless more are thoughtlessly given away to questionable new owners or are simply abandoned.

“I don’t have to neuter my dog—it’s the females who need surgery.” As the song goes, it takes two to tango. Being a responsible companion animal owner means all animals—male and female—should be surgically altered so that neither is able to reproduce.

“Females should have a first litter.” There is no known scientific reason to support this myth. Females do not become better animals or are more “fulfilled” because they have had a litter. On the contrary, the cycle of reproduction may simply cause unnecessary stress.

“They have a right to reproduce.” Perhaps, but the animals and their offspring also have the right to a life free of unnecessary pain and death. We must ask ourselves, which is more important—allowing an animal the right to contribute to a devastating problem or allowing them the right to freedom of suffering?

“We shouldn’t interfere with creation.” We have already interfered by domesticating these animals. We now have a responsibility to care for them by not further exacerbating the problem.

Overpopulation and Animal Cloning                                                           Back To Top

Another form of companion animal reproduction on the rise is pet cloning. This highly unethical science manipulates nature and causes great suffering for both the surrogate animals and their innocent clones. Pet cloning, an especially repugnant and misleading commercial “service,” will not bring back a particularly beloved companion animal. It will, however, bring to life more unwanted offspring at a time when millions of cats and dogs die in our nation’s shelters or are abandoned to the outdoors.

Solutions                                                                                                      Back To Top

• Spay and neuter all kittens, puppies, cats, and dogs; ideally, before they are able to reproduce.

• Ban pet cloning, breeding mill operations and companion animal sales at pet stores.

• Provide community education on responsible pet ownership and spay/neuter benefits.

• Allocate community tax-dollars to pet adoption and spay/neuter efforts rather than capture and kill management.

• Urge legislators at all levels to support mandatory spay/neuter laws.

Euthanasia is not an acceptable method of controlling cat and dog overpopulation.

We must do better.

Updated July 2009                                                                                        Back To Top

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