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Here are answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions
concerning pet overpopulation from the HSUS Web site at
www.HSUS.org.
How Much Harm Can Letting My Pet Have Just
One Litter Do?
Lots. It's hard to imagine that letting your pet have one litter causes a problem, especially if you find homes for most of your puppies or kittens. But the fact is that "just one litter" does cause pet overpopulation. In less than a year, all of the little ones in your pet's litter could be having litters of their own. Every day, thousands of healthy puppies and kittens must be euthanized -- and each one of those thousands came from "just one litter."
What Do "Spay" and "Neuter" Really Mean?
These are routine surgical procedures that sterilize your pet. Female dogs and cats are spayed by removing their reproductive organs, and male dogs and cats are neutered by removing their testicles. In both cases the operation is performed while the pet is under anesthesia. Depending on your pet's age, size and health, he or she will stay at your veterinarian's office for a few hours or a few days. Depending upon the procedure, your pet may need stitches removed after a few days.
Won't My Spayed or Neutered Pet Get Fat and Lazy?
Your pet will actually benefit from spaying or neutering. Sterilized pets lead healthier, longer lives. Spaying a female eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. Neutering a male reduces the risk of both prostate enlargement and prostate cancer. Neutering also will make your pet more affectionate and less likely to roam, get in fights, or get lost. Pets become fat and lazy as a result of overeating and lack of exercise, not from spaying or neutering.
Are There Other Concerns Besides Just Too Many Pets?
Yes. Abandoned and stray companion animals who roam the streets pose a health threat to humans and other animals. Homeless companion animals get into trash containers, defecate in public areas or on private lawns.
The growing number of dog bites is due in part to uncontrolled breeding of pets. Bites by so-called dangerous dogs have drawn an enormous amount of media attention, and fatalities caused by dangerous dogs are a serious concern. According to Randall Lockwood, PhD., the HSUS's Vice President for Training Initiatives, there is a much greater incidence of biting in unsterilized animals. "Of the nearly twenty fatalities caused by dog attacks investigated between 1992 and 1994," says Dr. Lockwood, "we have found that none was caused by a spayed or neutered dog."
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Sometimes there's just too much of a good thing… then there's a problem. When we're talking about our "furry friends," the problem is overpopulation. And the problem is not just here in Cherokee County, but across the country.
Did you know that according to the
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), each year more than
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eight million of our furry friends end up at animal shelters around the country. Some of them are lost, abandoned, or unwanted. Unfortunately, more than five million of us must be euthanized because there simply aren't enough homes for us all.
Consider these facts provided by the
HSUS:
- In six years, one female dog and her offspring can be the source of 67,000 puppies.
In just seven years, one female cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens.
There is theoretically no limit to the number of offspring male dogs and cats can produce.
Every day in the United States, tens of thousands of puppies and kittens are born. Compare this to the 11,000 human births each day, and you can see that there can never be enough homes for all these pets.
So, what can just one person do if the problem is so huge? The first thing to do is to make a commitment to get pets from the Animal Shelter, off-site adoption centers like PetSmart or Haynes Pet Center, or from rescue societies (there's one for almost every breed), rather than from breeders or pet stores who buy their animals from "puppy and kitty mills" (see page 72 for information about off-site adoption times and locations). Even if you're looking for a specific breed, you can usually find what you're looking for at the Shelter or a rescue society. According to the HSUS, 25% of dogs in shelters are purebreeds. You can usually find rescue societies on the Web, or by talking to your veterinarian.
The next step is to have your pets spayed or neutered to prevent them from adding to the pet population. Since February 27 is "Spay Day USA," this is the perfect time to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Many local vets are offering discounts for the occasion. For more information about "Spay Day USA," visit www.ddal.org/DDAF.
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