Why Spay/Neuter?

Why Spay/Neuter?

Text Box: Do you know what happened to your dog’s puppies or your cat’s kittens? Over 250,000 pets enter into Houston and surrounding area animal shelters each year including the puppies and kittens of purebred animals. More than half of these homeless pets are put to sleep. Your pet’s puppies and kittens could end up put to sleep or suffering in the streets. Spaying and neutering helps reduce the number of unwanted pets and pet deaths. Preventing Dog Bites 4 out of 5 dog bites are by male dogs who are not neutered. Do you really want to lose your dog because it bit someone's child? Do you want to be responsible for your dog hurting a child? Preventing Destructive and Annoying Behavior Spaying and neutering makes your pets much easier to live with! Male cat urine from an unneutered cat is about 100 times as intense as a neutered male. You will see a huge decrease in the smell 1 week after your cat is neutered. Female pets won’t go into heat after they are spayed. No more howling or the need for messy diapers! Spaying and neutering cuts down on the urge for marking behavior (spraying or soiling indoors). Harris and Montgomery County shelters just cannot absorb accidental litters! A kitten can get pregnant as early as 5 months of age. They will mate with brothers and sisters even from the same litter. Cats can have 4 litters of kittens per year! It is important that you spay and neuter your pets between the ages of 4 to 5 months. Aside from the many health benefits to your pet, spaying and neutering helps lower risk to the people population. Debunking the Myths About Spay/Neuter Myth: My female pet should have a litter before she is spayed. Fact: A female spayed before her first heat has 1/7 the risk of developing mammary cancer. Myth: Spaying or neutering will alter my pet's personality. Fact: Any slight changes will be positive. Neutering will reduce the need to breed, which has a calming effect on many animals. Neutered male canines and felines tend to stop roaming and fighting, and they also lose the desire to mark their territory with urine. Myth: Companion animals will become fat and lazy if they are neutered. Fact: Lack of exercise and overfeeding make pets fat and lazy – not neutering. Your pet will not gain weight if you provide exercise and monitor food intake. Myth: Letting my pet have a litter will allow my children to witness the miracle of birth. Fact: Countless books and videos are available to teach your children about birth in a responsible manner. Letting your pet produce offspring that you have no intention of keeping is teaching your children irresponsibility. Anyone who has seen an animal put to sleep in a shelter for lack of a home knows the truth behind this dangerous myth. Did you know??? Your cat can have 4 litters of kittens per year. Your cat can get pregnant as early as 5 months of age. Most dog bites are by unneutered male dogs. Unneutered male dogs will be more aggressive than neutered dogs.