Myths, Facts, and Sobering Statistics
Sobering Statistics Help show your support for 20% of profits from the sales of this product will go to local animal rescue efforts.
The number of animals euthanized by shelters each year is 5-9 million. 60% of dogs and 70% of cats. (ASPCA estimate)
Five out of ten dogs in shelters and seven out of ten cats in shelters are destroyed simply because there is no one to adopt them. (ASPCA estimate)
The number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year is 8-12 million (HSUS estimate)
Every three minutes a dog or cat is killed in the Metroplex (an average of 200,000 healthy animals per year.)
A female cat can have her first litter of kittens at five months.
One female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in 7 years.
One female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in 6 years.
Severe dog attacks on people are more likely to be done by unaltered dogs.
Many pet behavior problems (house soiling, marking, spraying, persistent barking/meowing, roaming, escaping, fighting with other pets, biting humans or other pets, bleeding and other issues that go along with female pets being in heat) can be eliminated by a simple spay/neuter.
Large numbers of purebred animals are destroyed every year in pounds and shelters. It is cruel to bring one more litter, even a purebred litter, into the world as long as we are killing so many healthy animals on a daily basis.
The cost to US taxpayers every year to impound, shelter, kill, and dispose of unwanted animals is about $2 billion.
The majority of animals killed every year are young and healthy. Millions of dogs and cats are killed by cars and hundreds of thousands are abandoned, severely neglected, or abused.
The following information is taken from the Metroplex Animal Coalition website
Myth: One litter can’t make that big of a difference.
Fact: There are millions of homeless kittens, puppies, dogs and cats. It’s an overwhelming problem that continues to get bigger one animal at a time. In the
Myth: Breeding my pet is a good idea. My pet is a purebred and I want to breed her to make some money.
Fact: Even well-known breeders are fortunate if they break even on raising purebred litters. The cost of raising such a litter - which includes stud fees, vaccinations and other health care costs, and feeding a quality food consumes most of the "profit". Just because you have papers doesn’t mean it is a good idea. An estimated 25 - 30% of animals that wind up in shelters are purebreds.
Myth: We’ll find a good home for all of the puppies/kittens.
Fact: Every home you find takes away from a potential home for an existing unwanted animal. There are already not enough good homes.
Myth: The Animal Shelter will find them a good home.
Fact: Animal Shelters do their best, but in Dallas/Ft. Worth, it is estimated that 200,000 animals are killed every year because a good home could not be found.
Myth: Spaying or neutering will make my pet fat and lazy.
Fact: Overfeeding and under-exercising a pet makes him fat and lazy. Animals that have been spayed or neutered do not require as much food, so simply cut back on the amount you are feeding and remember to play with and exercise your pet.
Myth: Kids should have a chance to watch kittens and puppies being born.
Fact: Kids should be taught about the pet overpopulation problem and not encouraged to contribute to the problem. There are other ways for parents to explain the wonders of birth without creating more unwanted animals.
For Men: "I wouldn't want that done to me." Your pet is not you! His psychology and biology are quite different. His hormones developed in the wild to produce as many offspring as possible so his species could survive. He will be a much happier and healthier pet when you have him neutered and will never know the difference.
Myth: My pet never leaves the yard.
Fact: Remember pets get out unexpectedly sometimes. Also, other people’s pets get in. Our rescue groups routinely get calls from people needing to place litters who said "I don’t know what happened, my pet never goes outside or leaves the yard!"
Myth: My dog will no longer be a good guard dog. He needs to be aggressive to be a guard dog and having him neutered will take away his aggressiveness.
Fact: A dog’s natural instinct to protect his territory will not be affected by spaying or neutering. In fact, a neutered dog will be more likely to stay close to home without the urge to search out a mate. Most pets will be more reliable and responsible after neutering and are often easier to train because of stabilized hormones. A male aggressive dog that has not been neutered can be unpredictable and hard to control. That makes him a danger to you and your family rather than a source of protection. What makes a good guard dog is training, not whether he has been neutered. Being neutered also does not affect a dog’s hunting ability.
Myth: Spaying and neutering are painful procedures.
Fact: Spay and neuter surgeries are always performed under general anesthesia. As with most surgeries, there may be some mild discomfort after the surgery. Most dogs and cats are back to their normal activity levels within 1-3 days.
Myth: Spaying and neutering are too expensive.
Fact: The price of spay/neuter surgery varies widely among private veterinarians. The Metroplex has several free or reduced cost programs to provide financial assistance. Altering will save money over the lifetime of your pet in vet care, and costs incurred from caring for unplanned litters. For information on low cost options, please visit the Metroplex Animal Coalition website:
www.metroplexanimalcoalition.com
Metroplex Animal Coalition
8333 Douglas Ave.
Suite 1350
Dallas,
972-669-5000
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