11 Facts about Spaying and Neutering
- Between 3 and 4 million adoptable animals are euthanized in animal shelters each year simply because they do not have homes.
- The term “spay” refers to removing a female animal’s ovaries and uterus so that she cannot reproduce.
- The term neuter refers to removing a male animal’s testicles so that he cannot reproduce (although the term neuter technically means the sterilization of either a male or a female animal, today it is typically used to refer to the procedure for a male animal).
- Dogs and cats can be spayed or neutered as early as 2 months of age.
- Historic records indicate that surgical procedures to sterilize male animals date back as far as 284 BCE. Such surgeries for companion animals date back about 100 years.
- Spay/neuter surgeries will lead to a decrease in the euthanasia rate and increase the live release rate (the number of animals that leave the shelter alive) of animals. Research shows that each canine sterilization reduces shelter intake by .72 dogs; and each feline sterilization reduces shelter intake by .57 cats.
- Spay/neuter surgeries can only be performed by licensed veterinarians.
- High Quality High Volume Spay/neuter (HQHVSN) programs are efficient surgical initiatives that meet or exceed current veterinary medical standards of care in providing accessible, targeted sterilization of large numbers of dogs and cats in order to reduce their overpopulation and subsequent euthanasia.
- There are many health benefits to spaying and neutering your dogs, cats…and rabbits! Spaying a female cat or dog helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer. Neutering your male dog or cat prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.
- Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat. Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering.
- Go to http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sndatabase to find low-cost spay/neuter services in your area that you can support.
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