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Why Spay & Neuter: Pet Overpopulation

Almost everyone loves puppies and kittens, yet many people are unable or unwilling to care for their animals over their entire lifespan. Dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals are abandoned because their owners move, can no longer handle a pet's problem behavior, become ill or develop allergies, don't have time, have a baby, cannot afford to care for their pets, or simply lose interest. Many unplanned litters find themselves homeless because the mothers' owners can't or won't find a home for each little one. As a result, many animals are left to fend for themselves or brought to shelters... most of them over-crowded.

Millions of pets of all types, breeds, and ages are euthanized each year in the United States. Being purebred, young, friendly, or cute does not guarantee a ticket out of the shelter. Stray animals don't fare any better as they rarely survive for long on their own. Most strays suffer and die from starvation, diseases, parasites, freezing, or being hit by cars. Anyone who has had to watch an animal suffer or die for lack of a loving home knows the agonizing truth behind the pet overpopulation problem.

See for Yourself

The following video tells some of the sad stories that are played out every day in animal shelters all over the country. Warning: the video is graphic but it's the truth. If you would like to skip the video please read on below.

There is a Solution

There is a solution to the horrible problem of pet overpopulation: spay and neuter, and adopt a pet instead of buying one. Every puppy or kitten that is bought from a breeder or "taken in" from an accidental litter means that one more animal in a shelter loses its chance at finding a home. That is the cold hard truth. Please adopt from a shelter or a breed rescue group. And please don't add to the problem by allowing your pets to reproduce. Too many pets are born each year, and only by preventing these births can we reduce the number of animals dying needlessly. It really is that simple.

In addition to reducing the numbers of unwanted animals, sterilization also increases an animal's chance of staying in, or finding, a loving home. Many hormone-driven problem behaviors are improved or entirely eliminated. Most of the reasons that pets are given up stem from behavior problems such as house soiling, roaming (running away from home) or aggression towards other animals. The good news is that many of these behavior problems can be eliminated simply by spaying or neutering the animal. Learn more...

Did you know that one cat or dog who has puppies and kittens, and whose puppies or kittens in turn have puppies or kittens of their own, can be responsible for the birth of 50 to 200 kittens or puppies in one year?! The numbers are even greater with rabbits, who can produce up to 12 litters each year (that's one litter every 30 days!).

PLEASE fix your pets, and encourage others in your family and community to get their pets spayed and neutered. On behalf of the animals: thank you.