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Unspayed animals force street migration |
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Tuesday, 03 April 2007 |
by ERICA DURHAM
Intern news reporter
In six years, one un-spayed female dog and her un-spayed offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs. However, only one in nine cats and dogs born in the United States will find homes, according to the Watauga County Humane Society’s Web site.
There are many benefits to spaying and neutering pets. Not only does spaying and neutering pets reduce the number of animals without homes, it prevents dog bites and public nuisances from the
community, Lynn Northup, Watauga County Humane Society shelter manager, said.
Surveys show that as many as 80 percent of dogs hit by cars are not spayed or neutered.
“Spaying or neutering your pets causes behavioral benefits such as less
aggression, they are less likely to roam and ‘mark their territory’
along with them being easier to train,” Northup said.
Along with the behavioral benefits, there are also many health benefits.
According to pamphlets passed out by the Watauga County Humane Society
and the Humane Alliance Organization, altered animals are shown to have
a decreased risk of cancer and disease.
The two organizations are trying to make getting your pet altered
easier by teaming up and providing low-cost spay/neuter programs.
“Animals can be spayed or neutered as early as eight weeks or if they
are at least two pounds. The younger the animal is when the surgery is
done, the quicker the recovery, [there are] less complications, and
surgery and anesthesia is shorter,” Northup said.
An estimated 8 to 10 million cats and dogs enter shelters each year
while 4 to 5 million of these animals are euthanized merely because
there are not enough homes for them, according to statistics taken from
the Watauga County Humane Society.
“The benefits of adopting an animal versus getting one from another
source are that there are health checks, you are rescuing the animal,
you are not supporting irresponsible breeding, and an animal is spayed
or neutered,” Anita Gomez, Watauga County Humane Society assistant
manager, said.
According to the humane society’s pamphlet, it costs approximately $100
to capture, house, feed and eventually kill a homeless animal. This
cost comes out of the taxpayers pockets. To adopt an animal from the
Humane Society, it costs only $75.
As many as 25 percent of the dogs entering shelters each year are purebred, registered dogs,
according to the Watauga Humane Society.
“Most animals in shelters are there from no fault of their own. Usually
their owner decides they are on inconvenience and turn them in,”
Northup said.
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