Due to uncontrolled breeding, US shelters take in between 6 to 8 million dogs and cats each year with some , of them ending up euthanized. California is a close second with some , euthanized animals, followed by the state of Florida 66, , North Carolina 62, , and Georgia 43, Between 6 and 8 million pets end up in shelters across the US every year and merely half of those eventually get adopted.
As a result, a lot of perfectly healthy dogs and cats get euthanized because shelters cannot care for so many animals in need. Primarily to curb uncontrolled breeding, which often leads to disease, premature death, overcrowded shelters , stray animals, and euthanasia.
Moreover, the procedure eliminates the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and developing cancer of the reproductive organs. Additionally, sterilized pets have fewer unwanted hormone-related behaviors, such as marking their territory extremely problematic in male cats , roaming instinct, and the diminished likelihood of aggressive behavior which often leads to fights with other males.
They are predominantly linked with the early sterilization of dog breeds such as German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers. In short, these breeds are susceptible to certain cancers and hold a higher risk of developing musculoskeletal issues such as intervertebral disk disease IVDD , which seems to affect neutered males across all breeds.
In addition, as this procedure alters the metabolism as well, some dog breeds are more prone to becoming overweight if their diet is not adjusted accordingly.
While most vets are in favor of this procedure, you should always discuss it with your vet first in order to make an informed decision that will benefit the animal.
The Veterinary Task Force recommends that cats be sterilized prior to the first estrous cycle which is before 5 months of age. However, canines differ in this respect as there might be special circumstances when it is not recommended; there are risks involved concerning certain breeds that have to be addressed beforehand.
While each dog is different, on average, it takes 10 days for a dog to heal properly and fully recover from being spayed. It is crucial to ask your vet for specific instructions on how to care for your dog properly during the recuperation period. There is currently no consensus on this, hence the best course of action would be to consult with an expert, especially in light of the recent discovery concerning the negative effects of early sterilization.
The vet will take into consideration all the relevant factors like breed, overall health condition, as well as current age and then offer advice best suited for your particular dog. This is a major surgery that requires anesthesia and pain medication, a new set of sterile instruments for every procedure, and a detailed examination of the animal prior to the procedure.
While it is highly unlikely that there will ever be a consensus among pet lovers when it comes to spaying and neutering, simply knowing and understanding more could help many a pet owner make the right decision when it comes to their beloved four-legged companions.
This is where the latest spay and neuter statistics come in handy. The fact that people in general, not just pet owners, could benefit from these makes them worthwhile. In addition, it will also help them realize that owning an animal means a lot more than just cuddling, feeding or going out for a walk.
It is a life-long commitment that will likely include some hard decisions along the way. After earning her degree in English literature and philosophy, Tea spent more than a decade teaching English to people great and small. She finally managed to combine all her passions into one job—writing about her passions. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is illegal to spay dogs in Norway.
A recent US study showed that early spaying and neutering of dogs can make them more susceptible to certain diseases. Non-profit spay and neuter clinics in the US are mostly used by low-income families. Spay and Neuter Facts from Around the Globe 1. World Spay Day was started by actress Doris Day in Animal Sheltering Almost 70 countries around the world now support this event where they highlight positive aspects of spaying and neutering. Psychology Today Despite this surprising spay and neuter statistics , Scandinavian countries have almost no pet overpopulation issues.
Manila Bulletin Since the country has a huge rabies problem, in part due to dog overpopulation, the new Responsible Dog Ownership Act of also includes obligatory dog sterilization. Trap — neuter — release statistics in Nova Scotia Canada demonstrate just how effective this method is in combating the overpopulation of strays. The Conversation How many animals are spayed and neutered each year?
Global News While Canada is a country of cat lovers where the majority of owners are, in fact, behaving responsibly, the country is still dealing with major cat overpopulation issues. Psychology Today Is neutering cruel? Frontiers While this does help solve the issue of overpopulation, recent studies have suggested that early neutering in dogs might also have some adverse health side effects in certain breeds. Count Dr. Susan Powell among them. Powell is a shelter medicine consultant at the Veterinary Information Network, an online community for the profession and parent of the VIN News Service.
It's hard to hear "something that I believe in and strive for — and I know that most shelter veterinarians are passionate about — is being attacked on some fronts," she said by email.
Powell believes the focus should be on better regulation of shelter animal transports and eliminating puppy mills. She cautiously offered one middle-ground idea for producing puppies within a shelter environment. She explained that, "Most shelters spay pregnant dogs up until delivery as long as the dog isn't in labor," effectively aborting the pregnancy.
Powell said that if there were a nationwide puppy shortage and in cases in which pregnant dogs are healthy and behaviorally sound, some shelters might opt to allow the pregnancies to go forward and result in puppies.
The organization called neutering vitally important to the overall success of multipronged efforts to combat pet homelessness and improve animal welfare, in a statement provided to VIN News. The organization acknowledged that some estimates suggest that the population of homeless dogs, especially puppies, will continue to decline, resulting in fewer dogs available in shelters.
Without weighing in on the merits of these estimates, the ASPCA said, "Despite the significant progress made over the past decade, there are still millions of homeless dogs and cats in need of loving homes. Pointing to the fact that shelters in some communities and regions still take in more adoptable animals than they can place locally, the ASPCA avowed its support for responsible relocation.
These breeders reject the practices of commercial breeders, brokers, pet stores, auctions and others who profit from cruelty. The long shadow of puppy mills. Feder worries that point may be coming. Briggs described a troubling pattern she sees among people who believe in the importance of adopting a shelter dog and also want a certain type of dog for their family, such as a bichon frise.
In some cases, puppies may be sold directly to rescue groups. In , The Washington Post reported that dozens of rescues and advocacy groups purchased puppies from breeders at auctions and then listed them as "saved" or "rescued.
That clash of ethics and supply "make us think you need to find … an acceptable approach to coexist with going to the shelter," Briggs said. She has convened a group of animal welfare professionals, including Feder, animal behaviorists and a veterinarian with a doctorate in genetics and genomics to brainstorm responsible breeding solutions.
Among their ideas are cooperatives of breeder experts and pet owners who collaborate to identify dogs who should reproduce. These "successful family dogs" live in homes.
Puppies are bred and raised based on standards that prioritize health and behavior rather than purebred confirmation. In this model, Briggs sees a new, and likely controversial, role for shelters, in offering oversight, veterinary and behavior expertise, experience managing foster programs and counseling prospective dog owners.
Both Briggs and Feder believe the animal welfare industry has a responsibility to think about the issue of blanket spay-neuter possibly being too effective and outliving its usefulness. To submit a commentary for consideration, email news vin. Information and opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the author and are independent of the VIN News Service. Letters may be edited for style. We do not verify their content for accuracy. Clinicians are reminded that you are ultimately responsible for the care of your patients.
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Send us feedback about this article. By Lisa Wogan. See related stories ». Joyce Briggs. Photo by Ed de la Fuente. Dog transport: An imperfect solution Transporting dogs from overcrowded shelters and rescues in the South to those with excess capacity in the North has for nearly two decades been a fix for regional disparities in the size of homeless-dog populations. Homeward Bound. Related resources. Pet spay-neuter studies spotlight health risks, benefits - May 23, What's new? Receive email alerts when new articles are published.
Follow us. About us Mission. Reprint policy. Letters policy. Subscribe to VIN News. Meet the news team. See more stories ». Clinical Practice. Legal Issues. Community cats are friendly stray or abandoned cats as well as feral unsocialized cats. The HSUS advocates for a trap-neuter-return approach to humanely managing community cats. The Humane Society of the United States is working with a wide variety of stakeholders to change this through Shelter Animals Count , an initiative formed to create and share a national database of sheltered animal statistics, providing facts and enabling insights that will save lives.
In the meantime, here are the best estimates we've found:. HumanePro's bimonthly e-newsletter delivers the latest news, training, education opportunities and special offers to help you in your work with animals. Subscribe to HumanePro News today. The Numbers U. Estimated number of community cats in the U.
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