The Richmond Neuter Project
1. Your female dog will live a longer, healthier life.
Spaying is a veterinary procedure performed under general anesthesia that may require minimal hospitalization. Spaying a female dog helps prevents life threatening and common uterine infections and breast cancer. Treatment of uterine infections requires hospitalization, intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Breast cancer can be fatal in about 50 percent of female dogs. Spaying your pet offers the best protection from these diseases.
2. There are major health benefits for your male animal companion, too.
Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male dog prevents testicular cancer and aid in preventing prostate disorders if done before six months of age.
3. Your spayed female won't go into heat.
Intact female dogs generally have a bloody discharge for about a week, and can conceive for another week or so. During that time they can also suffer from hormonal behavioral changes. Such as aggression.
4. Your male dog won't need to roam away from home…
An intact male in search of a mate will do just about anything to get one! That includes digging his way under the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he's free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.
5. …and he will be much better behaved too!
Neutered animals focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, unneutered dogs may mark their territory with strong smelling urine all over the house. Indoors, male dogs may embarrass you by mounting on furniture and human legs when stimulated. A neutered dog protects his home and family just as well as an unneutered dog--and many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.
6. Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.
Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to gain weight—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.
7. Spaying or neutering is highly cost-effective.
The cost of your pet's spay or neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. It also beats the cost of treatment when your unneutered dog escapes and gets into fights with neighborhood strays…or the cost of cleaning the carpet that your unspayed female has soiled during her cycle.
8. It's good for the community.
Stray animals pose real problems in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause vehicular accidents, damage the local fauna and scare children.
9. Your pet doesn't need to have a litter for your children to witness the miracle of birth.
We've heard this one a lot. But you know what? Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping teaches your children irresponsibility. Anyone who has seen an animal euthanized in a shelter for lack of a home knows the truth behind this dangerous myth. There are countless books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a responsible manner.
10. It packs a powerful punch in the fight against pet overpopulation.
Millions of pets of all ages and breeds are euthanized annually or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unwanted, unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.