This Is Why You Need To Have Your Pet Spayed/Neutered

Take a look. Now.

I dare you not to care.

At the time this photo was taken, this poor frightened animal was less than 24 hours away from being euthanized in an overcrowded animal shelter in Ohio. She is not alone. According to the Humane Society of the United States, approximately four million cats and dogs are euthanized every year. The shelters are filled to the rafters with abandoned, lost, or abused animals.

Look at her. She’s skin and bones. She looks terrified.

Some would say that “putting her down” would be the humane thing to do. In this poor dog’s case, the pound uses the “heartstick” method of euthanizing. This involves filling a syringe with sodium pentobarbitol. Normally used as an anaesthetic, it is also used in the lethal injections given in some states for the death penalty. But in “heartstick” euthanasia, the needle is pushed into the chest of the animal, into the heart, and the sodium pentobarbitol is injected straight into the heart to cause cardiac failure. While the animal is supposed to be already anaesthetized, there are common reports of animals still reacting in pain.

Angry? Ready to cry? Can’t understand why this happens?

It’s natural to want to blame the shelters for this. And certainly, those performing euthanasia improperly should be taken to task. But that would still leave millions of animals whose lives will be taken because the shelters have no choice. They have no room, no budget, no recourse. Animals are picked up, and when the kennels and crates are filled, the animals there the longest are out of time.

Approximately half of the animals that are picked up by animal control and county shelter are euthanized every year. Of the animals that enter shelters, 30% of the dogs are reclaimed by the owners. Only 2-5% of the cats are reclaimed. Those that aren’t adopted or rescued end their days at the shelter.

So what can we do?

1. Spay and Neuter

If you have a pet, whether dog, cat, rabbit – have them spayed or neutered. This is the simplest, quickest way to stem the overpopulation that is plaguing the shelters. It ensures that if for some reason your animal gets loose, it won’t get into a situation where you’ll be dealing with a litter later. Puppies are cute. Putting them down because you can’t keep them and nobody will take them is criminal.

2. Chip ‘Em

Microchipping has gotten fairly inexpensive. In this quick procedure, a small microchip is implanted under your pet’s skin. Animal control organizations and vets have scanners that can detect and read the information on the chip, and use that information to retrieve owner data from online databases. This greatly increases the likelihood that your pet will be returned instead of being lost to the shelter system.

3. Tag ‘Em

Even if they’ve been chipped, make sure your pet wears a tag that identifies it. This is just another layer of security for your pet. The more ways that a stranger can identify your pet and you as its owner, the more likely your pet makes it back home.

4. Don’t Buy Puppies

We all know how cute puppies are. They’re adorable bundles of love that you just want to take home and cuddle with. And that’s fine. I’m not saying don’t get a puppy. I’m saying don’t buy one. Your local shelters and rescues will have plenty of puppies for you to choose from to find just the right friend for life. These pups need a home and need one soon.

In addition, you’ll be helping stop puppy mills. These mass-production factories have one thing in mind – profits. The conditions of these mills results in sick puppies, some of which never recover even after they’ve been taken home. Reputable breeders want to meet you, have you meet the puppy and make sure it is a good match. If you must buy a puppy, take the time to find a breeder that raises them directly.

5. Know What You’re Getting Into

All too often, people get a pet without knowing what it really takes to have a pet. When you take home that animal, it should be with the understanding that it is becoming part of your family. That means taking care of it if it gets sick, and as it ages, dealing with the effects of getting older, just as we do any family member. And yes, that can be expensive. Pet insurance can help, but those costs can be hefty for a truly ailing pet.

Know how long the specific animal will be in your life. Dogs can be classified by size, with the smaller dogs often living more than 10 years, while the largest breeds, like Great Danes only having a life expectancy of 6-8 years. More on that later.

Cats will vary greatly, with the main determining factor being whether the cat is an indoor or indoor/outdoor cat. An indoor only cat will have an average lifespan of 12-15 years, with many living more than 20. That means that the cat you get as a pet for your child will likely still be in the house after your child leaves for college.

Another thing to know is what you can expect. Puppies and kittens are cute. They can also be destructive. Kittens like to climb and claw. Puppies chew and make messes. They are adorable and fun to have around, right up until they destroy something. If your possessions are more important to you, keep them in mind when looking for a pet.

Lastly, learn about the breed. Some dogs are energetic and need plenty of exercise. Others are couch potatoes. Long hair cats need to be brushed frequently. Claws need to be trimmed. Get to know as much as you can before you take the plunge.

6. Get To Know The Rescues

Around the country there are thousands of “rescue” organizations. These folks are non-profit organizations, usually manned by volunteers, that do their best to get animals out of the shelters before they hit their euthanization date. They usually take donations to keep going, and adopting from a rescue will be more expensive than from a pound or shelter.

But there is a very good reason to go to a rescue. These folks rehabilitate animals they have rescued, often putting them in foster homes so they can learn to be around people, learn some manners, and so the rescue folks can find out what the animal’s personality is like. If the animal needs medical attention, it gets it. And it gets plenty of love until it finds its “forever home”. The rescues take great care to match the animals to a home, interviewing the potential adopters, often doing “home checks” to make sure that the environment will be good for both the family and the animal. You can feel confident that if you pass the screening, you will be adopting an animal that fits your family and lifestyle.

The rescues usually get the animals all their shots, have them microchipped and make sure they have been spayed and neutered. All you need to do is pay the fees, and give your new family member the love they need.

7. Don’t Ignore The Seniors

Not sure if you’re ready to make a 10-20 year commitment? Think about a senior animal. These pets often get passed by because they aren’t a cute cuddly puppy. But they need a home just as much. In the case of dogs, there are a number of benefits as well. As a rule, they’ve already been housetrained, can walk on a leash, and are just looking for some love.

One of two things will happen. Eventually, the senior pet will die. You will either a). Realize that you just aren’t that committed to having pets any longer, or b). That you are hooked, and you need to go give another pet a great home. Either way, you have given an animal a loving home to pass their final years.

The one caveat to a senior animal is that you are likely going to have to spend more on vet bills. For this reason, many shelters and rescues greatly reduce their adoption fees for senior animals, bith as an incentive to take them home, and to help defray some of the costs.

The Story Hasn’t Ended.. Yet

As of the time that I write this post, the pup in the picture was still alive. Because 8 dogs were rescued from the shelter where she was housed, she gained a little more time. How much is unknown, and since she was on the list for euthanization, she could be put down at any time.

The sad part is that this dog was an owner turn-in or surrender. This means the owner brought the dog to the shelter because they could not or would not take care of her any longer. This is an unfortunate reality in the current economy. Many families have been forced to downsize to apartments or rentals that do not allow pets, and the family has no way to take the pets with them.

At a recent Pet Expo, I heard many similar stories. The soldier who was shipped to Iraq and had no one to take care of his dog. The litter of 8 pups who suddenly became homeless when their “dad” was killed in a motorcycle accident. These folks didn’t plan to leave their animals homeless, but it happens. Others get surrendered because the family didn’t do their homework and couldn’t handle caring for a pet. Others couldn’t handle it financially. One senior pup this week was surrendered because it could no longer walk, and the owner couldn’t /wouldn’t care for it any longer.

All these animals need homes, and a great many wouldn’t if prospective pet owners followed the guidelines above.

How You Can Help

Adopt if you can.
Donate to a local shelter or rescue. If you can’t afford to donate money, donate time. You can help at adoption events. Contact your local shelters/rescues to find out how.
Foster an animal. Give them a temporary home while they look for another.

One more way – I have created a short book filled with images from the 2011 America’s Family Pet Expo in Costa Mesa, CA. The dogs in this book were from various rescues and shelters. I make no money on this book. What I have done is marked up the cost of the book by $5, and all of that money goes to rescues and shelters. Every few days I choose a new group and all the proceeds from that time period go to the specific group. You can preview the entire book below and it is available in both softcover and hardcover.

If you know of a group that could use the help, leave their name in the comments below, and I’ll add them to the list of rescues that will benefit.

Forever Home by Leo Soderman | Make Your Own Book