The Fix is In.
Forgive me if I get a little passionate about this… but at what point will people realize that spaying and neutering may be one of the kindest things they can do for their dogs, for all dogs, and possibly for our planet?
Around our neighborhood and at the dog park, I see a lot of “intact” dogs. Male, non-neutered ones, anyway; I have no sixth sense about the non-spayed females running around. I can only assume that neither are in short supply. It takes just one look at any animal shelter (I would say any “overcrowded” animal shelter but when was the last time you saw one that wasn’t overcrowded?) to see that pet overpopulation is a serious problem.
The sad fact is this: there is no real need to bring more dogs into the world. There is a need to find homes for all the dogs we’ve already got. There is also a need to educate people as to why spaying and neutering are humane ways to welcome these loving animals into our domesticated way of life. After all, if we wanted our dogs to live as they do in the wild, why would we adopt them into our lives in the first place?
First, let’s cross-examine some of those doggone MYTHS about spaying and neutering that keep people from taking this important step in pet ownership:
It’s unnatural to take away a dog’s ability to reproduce. To that I ask, “Piling up unwanted dogs in shelters, only to have approximately half of them wait for their inevitable death by euthanasia… is that so natural?”
It’ll harm a dog’s true personality. If anything, it will curb a dog’s more aggressive and roaming tendencies.
It’ll make a dog fat. No. Overfeeding and lack of exercise make a dog fat. So walk your dog, lazybones.
And GUYS… I’m begging you. As a fellow “guy” I assure you that neutering your male dog in no way affects his masculinity, or yours. Because there’s a lot of that insecurity going around (I once heard a guy at a dog park say he wanted his obviously non-neutered dog to stay a “real man”). Get off your testosterone-heavy high horse and think about the most generous gift you can give to the animals you say you care about, the right to find homes and warmth and caring.
Some excellent, life-affirming ADVANTAGES with spaying and neutering include:
Higher chances of longer, healthier lives. Spaying and neutering are the most preventative methods of combating uterine infections and breast and testicular cancer.
Better behavior. Neutered pets are much more trainable, obedient and considerate of their owners and families. Territory aggression, marking, all of that bull-in-a-china-shop behavior is significantly lessened with spaying and neutering.
Fewer homeless dogs in the world! That would be so wonderful… if every animal found a rightful and loving home.
There are a lot of resources you can take advantage of when you are taking this step in pet ownership or if you need to point someone else in this direction. Shelters will have information, your local community will feature information online, and details about low-cost spay/neuter programs figure prominently on the ASPCA website.
Whether you or someone else is making this inquiry, remember that each spayed/neutered animal not only benefits from the procedure but also prevents countless of unwanted lives being born into sad, unhealthy, futile conditions on streets and in shelters.
Love your dog; care for all of them. No dog should suffer from neglect. That’s up to us.