Spaying & Neutering Myths and Facts
Myth: My pet will get fat
and lazy
Fact: The truth is that most pets
get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and
don’t give them enough exercise.
Myth: It’s better
to have one litter first.
Fact: Medical evidence indicates
just the
opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their
first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize
dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your
veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.
Myth: My children should
experience the miracle of birth
Fact: Even if children are able to
see a pet
give birth, the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be
created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be
explained to children that the real miracle is life and that preventing
the birth of some pets can save the lives of others. Another option is
to foster a pregnant shelter animal.
Myth: But my pet is a
purebred.
Fact:
So is at least
one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the
country. There are just too many dogs and cats mixed breed and purebred.
Myth: I want my dog to be
protective.
Fact: Spaying or neutering does not
affect a
dog’s natural instinct to protect home and family. A
dog’s
personality is formed more by genetics and environment rather than by
sex hormones.
Myth: I don’t
want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.
Fact:
Pets don’t
have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a
pet’s basic personality. He doesn’t suffer any kind
of
emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.
Myth: But my dog (or cat)
is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.
Fact: A dog or cat may be a great
pet, but that
doesn’t mean her offspring will be a carbon copy.
Professional
animal breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can’t
guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter.
A pet owner’s chances are even slimmer. In fact, an entire
litter
of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet’s (and her
mate’s) worst characteristics.
Myth: Dogs and cats that
are pregnant cannot be spayed
Fact: Female animals can be spayed
while
pregnant but it will terminate the pregnancy. There is a higher risk if
they are in heat or pregnant. If you can wait until they are no longer
in heat to bring them in, that’s best. If they are pregnant,
the
sooner you can bring them in, the better.
Myth: It’s too
expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered
Fact: The cost of spaying or
neutering depends
on the sex, size and age of the pet and a few other variables. SNAC
does not require anyone to meet specific financial qualifications and
will work with each client as needed. Spay or neuter surgery is a
one-time cost and relatively small cost when compared to all the
benefits. It’s a bargain compared to the cost of having a
litter
and ensuring the health of the mother and litter; two months of
pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can add up
to significant food costs and veterinary bills if complications
develop. Most importantly, it’s a very small price to pay for
the
health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted
pets.
Myth: I’ll find
good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
Fact: You may find homes for all of
your
pet’s litter. But each home you find means one less for the
dogs
and cats in shelters who need good homes. Also, in less than one
year’s time, each of your pet’s offspring may have
his or
her own litter, adding even more animals to the population. The problem
of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.
Ridgeland, SC
- The Spay/Neuter Alliance & Clinic (known as SNAC), the first
non-profit/ high-volume facility of its kind serving the greater
Savannah/Hilton Head Island region announced this week that it has
passed a milestone of more than 10,000 surgeries in just two years
since opening.
SNAC services 10 counties surrounding Savannah and Hilton Head Island.
It provides free transportation for pets and strays on a regular
schedule to its animal clinic in Ridgeland, SC where it provides rabies
vaccines along with low-cost spays and neuters in keeping with a
surgical protocol issued by the Humane Alliance.
In announcing the milestone, Barbara Greenstein, president of SNAC,
pointed out that the extremely high number of surgeries performed
demonstrates the necessity of this kind of organization. “It
is a
testament to how important this service is for our
communities,”
she said, “from the inner city and suburbs to the small,
rural
area countryside hamlets.”
Greenstein cites research showing that each day approximately 10,000
children are born in the United States along with 70,000 puppies and
kittens. “As long as these birth rates exist there will never
be
enough homes for all the dogs and cats,” said Greenstein.
“As a result every year four to six-million of these little
animals are euthanized because there are no homes for them.”
Shawn Albertson, executive director for SNAC, explained that numerous
studies show that the multiple effect over a seven-year period of two
dogs and two cats can be as high as 40,000 puppies and 400,0000
kittens. He said by offering free transportation and low-cost
surgeries, SNAC frees up animal and rescue shelters to focus their
resources on rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing animals in need.
“This is a fundamental service that will help stop a growing
epidemic in our area,” said Katie Black, head veterinarian
for
SNAC. “Our mission is to help reduce the over-population of
dogs
and cats in a cost-effective way while providing the best quality
care.”
In Georgia SNAC serves Chatham, Bryan, Bulloch, Effingham Evans and
Liberty counties, while in South Carolina it serves Beaufort, Colleton,
Hampton and Jasper Counties.
“We have many moderate and low-income families in this area
who
know it is best to spay or neuter their pets, but simply
don’t
have the needed funds to get it done,” said Albertson.
“We
help these kinds of people get it done quickly and safely.”
Albertson said SNAC is currently running at full capacity and is
waiting for a second veterinarian and trying to raise money for a
second transportation vehicle.
For more details about the program, the pricing, the transportation
schedules and even how you can help support its cause, visit the SNAC
website at Snac1.com or call 843-645-2500.
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