| There are so many reasons why we need to show | | | | offspring and produce 420,000 kittens in seven |
| responsible pet ownership by having our pets spayed | | | | years. For dogs that number is 67,000. |
| and/or neutered. One of the reasons is the increasing | | | | With so many good reasons to spay and neuter, it |
| over population of unwanted pets. Kittens and | | | | makes you wonder why there are still so many pet |
| puppies are being thrown away like garbage, killed, | | | | owners that do not want to do it. One of the |
| and abandoned. Another reason is for behavioral | | | | excuses I here is it is too expensive. That is simply |
| reasons. if you have ever seen, heard, or smelled a | | | | not true anymore. Due to the over population of |
| cat in heat, then you know what I am talking about. | | | | pets many shelters offer low cost spay and neuter |
| It is not pretty and it does not smell good. An animal | | | | not to mention it is much less expensive to spay and |
| in heat tends to wander to seek out a companion | | | | neuter than it is to care for a litter. It is very |
| and can be a real pain to your neighbors and their | | | | affordable and not a valid excuse. Some people think |
| pets not to mention their safety is at risk when they | | | | that spaying or neutering will make their dog or cat |
| wander. | | | | fat. Wrong again. If your dog or cat is fat it is due to |
| There are health concerns that go with not spaying | | | | lack of exercise and overfeeding. |
| your female dog. Pyometra is common in female | | | | The bottom line is spaying and neutering your pet |
| dogs that have not been spayed and are not having | | | | can prevent the suffering and tragic deaths of |
| puppies. It is an infection in the uterus and very | | | | thousands of animals. If you do not plan to be a |
| painful. If it is not caught in time your beloved pup will | | | | breeder, spay and neuter early. You can have the |
| die from it. For cats, the primary concern is Feline | | | | procedure done as young as eight weeks old. While |
| AIDS. It is spread by bodily fluids like blood and tears | | | | there are inherent risks with any surgical procedure, |
| from fighting. Intact cats tend to be very bold and | | | | as long as your pet is healthy, the benefits to having |
| territorial. Once your cat gets Feline AIDS it is certain | | | | the surgery way outweigh the risks of the |
| death for them. The consequences of strays are | | | | procedure. There are only good reasons to be a |
| unbelievable. For example, one un-spayed cat and her | | | | responsible pet owner and do the right thing. |