Spaying or neutering your pet is an important decision that deserves careful consideration. Spaying means removing the reproductive organs (uterus and ovaries) of a female cat or dog. Neutering is the male equivalent: removing the testicles of a male cat or dog. Both surgical procedures are performed by veterinarians while your pet is under general anesthesia. Spaying or neutering your pet prevents your female pet from having babies and prevents your male pet from impregnating females.

The most obvious argument in favor of spaying or neutering your pet is to help limit the number of unwanted pets in the world. According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), there are an estimated 6 to 8 million dogs and cats entering animal shelters each year. Roughly half of these are adopted by new owners, leaving an estimated 3-4 million pets being euthanized each year. Spaying or neutering your pet helps prevent unwanted litters of pets from contributing to this problem.

One argument against spaying or neutering your pet is that some pet owners want their pets to reproduce and feel confident they can find homes for all of the offspring. While this may be true, many pet owners find that it can be more difficult than they thought to find those homes. Choosing against spaying or neutering your pet also means you will have to deal with the kittens or puppies whenever they arrive, not on a schedule of your choosing. A female cat can have up to three litters a year, with each litter having an average of 4-6 kittens. Female dogs can have 2 litters per year, with 6-10 puppies in a litter (these estimated litter sizes vary, based on breed). That can be a lot of kittens or puppies to find homes for! It can also be very expensive. The "breeder" is usually responsible for the animals 1st set of puppy or kitten vaccinations and wellness exam. There is also the potential for problems with the pregnancy resulting in a cesarean section (also known as a c-section). This is a very costly expense most people don't consider when letting their animals reproduce.

Spaying or neutering your pet has been shown to help your pet potentially live a longer and healthier life. In female pets, spaying eliminates the possibility of ovarian or uterine cancer, as well as significantly reduces the rate of breast cancer. In male pets, neutering eliminates the chance of testicular cancer and also reduces testicular cancer rates.

Spaying or neutering your pet can also make life better for you, since it often eliminates some behavioral problems in pets. Male pets often mark their territory by urinating or spraying; neutering often eliminates this behavior. Female pets who are spayed do not go into heat. When pets are in heat they tend to whine and cry a great deal and spend a lot of time tying to escape from the house to find males to mate with.

Spaying or neutering your pet is a one-time surgical procedure that can help reduce the number of unwanted pets in our world. For those of us who love animals, it is hard to imagine that there are already so many unwanted pets, but the statistics are grim. Spaying or neutering your pet can also help your pet live a longer and healthier life.

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