I saw a post on Facebook this week that said, “Better to prevent breeding than to kill the results.” That’s pretty strong language but it reminded me that this coming Tuesday is World Spay Day 2024, a time when all of us are encouraged to spay our female pets and even neuter the males.
Spay Day is not a new idea. It was created in 1994 by the Doris Day Animal League to make Americans aware of the problem of pet overpopulation, and to encourage owners to be responsible to have their furry friends surgically altered so they cannot breed and continue to add to the problem. Now, thirty years later, it has become a global event to reduce the population of stray animals and the need for euthanasia.
I know some folks avoid going to animal shelters because they say they just want to take them all home – but avoiding the shelter doesn’t make the problem go away for the millions of animals who never make it out of their shelter alive because there are just too many of them being born into a society that already has too many dogs and cats.
Yes, there are no-kill shelters, where no animals are euthanized – but they can exist only because there ARE shelters who euthanize simply because there is no alternative. You can help to change that, by having your own pet spayed or neutered.
There are benefits to spaying or neutering your furry friend. Your pet will live longer and be healthier. Both male and female pets will have a lower risk of certain cancers. Males will be less aggressive and less likely to fight other animals. Overall, spayed and neutered pets tend to live longer and be healthier than those who have not been spayed or neutered. If you haven’t done it already, call your veterinarian today to make an appointment.
Back to that Facebook post – it is better to prevent breeding than to kill the results, especially when you’re speaking of pets.
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