Why Should I Spay or Neuter My Dog?

Why Should I Spay or Neuter My Dog?

ANSWER:
Why? Because millions of dogs (about one every eight seconds) are put to death by humane euthanasia in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets, and some are even purebreds.

It could have been a case where someone's dog got out just one time or maybe someone thought it would be fun to have a litter of puppies. But after it happened, all efforts to find enough good homes failed. So they packed up the puppies in a box and took them to a nearby shelter. Or even worse, dumped them on a street corner or out in the country.

Spay/neuter is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs. That makes it the only proven way to reduce the huge numbers of animals who are born only to die prematurely and without a family who loves them.

There are also some great health reasons to spay or neuter your pet. In male dogs the removal of the testicles will prevents testicular cancer. It will also keep your male from destructive behavior and howling when an "in season" female is around. In female dogs, there is less chance of uterine cancer and breast cancer. Not going into "heat" means your female will not suffer incessant crying or nervous behavior. It also means that you won't have unwanted male dogs around your house trying to mate. In both, Altered animals are less likely to bite. They are generally more calm and more even-tempered.