There are about eight to twelve million animals euthanized in shelters each year (this includes cats as well as dogs). There are millions more out on the streets. Why is there this overabundance of stray animals, specifically dogs, in the country? Why is the vast majority of these animals mixed-breed strays with no homes? Where do all these canines come from? The answer to these questions is simple – dog owners’ do not get their pets spayed or neutered, but the reasons for people neglecting to have their pets altered are abundant. All they care about is the money or their own needs, not the dog or the puppies’ futures. Albeit there are some dog owners who have good reasons for keeping their dogs intact, the majority of people with litters of puppies are not these few.
It is hardly possible to know all the reasons why a person will not spay or neuter their dog, but there are a few motives that come up most frequently. The top rationale for men has to do with their ego. It almost seems that if their dog is not intact they are less of a man for owning the altered canine. This is a very self-centered idea. It is actually better for the dog if he is altered. It reduces the risk of prostate or testicular cancer and cuts down on the roaming instinct, so he is less likely to get killed or into trouble, while also diminishing aggression and creating a generally healthier pet.
Women typically have no such inhibitions for altering a male dog, nor usually for spaying a female one. But for the ladies that do balk at spaying a pet, it is frequently for a more maternal reason. Often a mother feels that her children need to experience the “miracle of birth” by watching their female dog have puppies and then caring for the young dogs afterwards. This is no excuse. If they want their children to see birth first hand, have the kids watch the Discovery channel, don’t put the dog through the stress of having a litter of puppies. The other top incentive for women not getting their dogs spayed is that they feel the dog must first experience motherhood, otherwise she will not feel emotionally complete. This reason is almost as ridiculous as the man’s ego rationale. The dog doesn’t know any difference between having puppies and never having puppies. They feel no great loss over never experiencing pregnancy, and giving birth is not necessary for them to lead healthy, fulfilled lives. And also, as with male dogs, getting your female dog spayed is healthier for her, not to mention more convenient for the owner by not having to deal with a female dog’s heat cycle or the unwelcome male suitors who will inevitably come stalking around the door. She is 200 times less likely to develop mammary tumors than an un-spayed dog, if spayed before her first heat. Spaying also eliminates the possibility of an ovarian or uteran infection, or pyometra, and the owner will most likely be left with a generally healthier and calmer pet after surgery.
Along with the male ego reason and the female emotional reason there are owners who want to have another dog just like the one they have now. The odds of this happening are very slim in real life. But for people who have seen on television two dogs who have produced identical puppies, all of who look like and take after the mother, except for one who looks exactly like and takes after the father, owners believe that this feat is possible. After all, it happened in Lady and the Tramp. This is a preposterous idea. No matter what two dogs are bred, the chances of getting an exact replica of a current pet are virtually nonexistent. People would have a better chance of getting a new Fido by talking to the cloning scientists. Even with a clone, there is great doubt as to getting an exact copy of a current pet. Physical similarity does not guarantee an identical temperament.
The only somewhat feasible reason for not getting a pet spayed or neutered would be cost. If a person simply cannot afford to have the surgery done, it is fairly understandable. But one would have to be on a really tight budget to not be able to afford it, because either a spay or a neuter costs under $100. And if an owner can’t afford that, one would have to question whether he or she can afford to have the dog at all, not to mention the puppies that will almost inevitably come.
Not without consequences do pets go un-spayed or un-neutered. The most prominent effect is overpopulation. As can clearly be seen by statistics, or merely looking around you in your own city, dog overpopulation is a gigantic problem. About 2.4 million dogs are euthanized in shelters every year because they are unwanted. Many of these dogs are the products of owners’ not spaying or neutering their own animals. It is a chain that goes ‘round and ‘round. Owners’ don’t spay or neuter their dogs. These dogs produce puppies. These puppies end up on the street to breed with other stray dogs or someone’s un-spayed/un-neutered pet. Then those puppies end up being dumped as well. And so the cycle continues.
People seem to believe in the many reasons they spout forth for not spaying or neutering their dog, but really there should be no excuse at all. Even professional breeders, if the dog is past its prime or unfit breeding stock, will have the animal spayed or neutered. No matter what incentive a person feels for leaving their dog un-altered, they really must consider the consequences of their actions, not just for them, but for their pet. All dogs should have the chance to live the happiest, healthiest life they can, and that all starts with the owner’s decision to spay or neuter.
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