THE TRUTH ABOUT SPAYING AND NEUTERING
What does "spay" and "neuter" really mean? "Spay" is the word used for female cats and dogs when their ovaries and uterus are removed. "Neuter" is the word for male cats and dogs when testicles are removed. "Altering", "fixing" or "sterilizing" are other words for spaying and neutering. It is best to spay your female pet before her first heat cycle - which can happen as early as 5 months, but it's never too late to spay your pet. It is best to neuter your male pet before he matures and begins marking, spraying, humping or showing signs of aggression and wandering"

It's best for you AND your pet!
Spaying or neutering your pet can decrease the risk of diseases and injury. Pets that are spayed/neutered have decreased or zero risk of certain types of cancer such as testicular cancer and mammary cancer. Altering your pets reduces and often eliminates annoying behaviors. Neutered male cats are significantly less likely to spray (urine-marking) or wander in search of females. Neutered male dogs are less likely to mark their territory or wander away from home, putting him at risk of being hit by a car, lost or impounded. Females in heat howl and cry incessantly, act nervous, can lose weight and attract neighborhood unaltered males. Spaying your pet can stop these behaviors.

Good for your community too!
When we reduce the number of stray and free-roaming animals, our animal control departments and officers can focus on animal cruelty and neglect, and our tax dollars can be spent on other issues in our society.
 

SEE THE EFFECTS ON YOUR COMMUNITY

MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT SPAYING AND NEUTERING
MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise. The same is true for people!

MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.
FACT: Medical evidence shows just the opposite! In fact, medical evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Skilled veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age.

MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth - which is unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion - the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others. If you'd still like your children to experience young animals, consider becoming a foster home for a local rescue organization!

MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.
FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats - mixed breed and purebred.

MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to protect home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.

MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel less "male".
FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.

MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.
FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean his/her offspring will be a carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can't guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances are even slimmer. In fact, an entire litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet's (and her mate's) worst characteristics.

MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet, your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost - a relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It's a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can add up to significant veterinary bills and food costs if complications develop. More importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet.

MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter, but each home you find means one less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who face being euthanized to make room for more. In less than one year's time, each of your pet's offspring may have his or her own litter, adding even more animals to the population and suffering due to lack of veterinary care. The problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.