March 21, 2007 I have a female Schnauzer and my new neighbor has a male Schnauzer, should we have a wedding?

March 21, 2007

I have a female Schnauzer and my new neighbor has a male Schnauzer, should we have a wedding?

Let me give you a few reasons why you should NOT.

Every spring, cats and dogs that have not been spayed or neutered give birth to countless puppies and kittens - overwhelming shelters all over the country with unwanted litters. As a result, there are always far more dogs and cats than there are homes. Each year in this country, more than 5,000,000 unwanted animals are euthanized. The only way to stop the needless deaths of 5,000,000 animals a year is to stop overpopulation. The only way to stop pet overpopulation is through spay/neuter.

On the North Shore Animal Leagues website, http://www.nsalamerica.org/feature/prevent-litter/
there is a chart that shows how many animals would be born if none of the offspring were ever “fixed.”
1 year: more than 12
2 years: more than 66
3 years: more than 375
4 years: more than 2,000
5 years: more than 11,000
6 years: more than 66,000
7 years: more than 370,000
8 years: more than 2,000,000
The numbers are staggering!

Cats can start mating as early as six months.
Even indoor-only house cats often find ways to get outdoors when the sexual urge hits them. Whether they disappear for good (due to panic, accidents, or enemies) or they return home, kittens are the result.
An unaltered male cat can father hundreds of kittens a year.
Statistically speaking, even if a person finds good homes for a litter of kittens, some of the kittens will grow up and produce litters of kittens.
Spaying a female before her first heat protects her from risks of uterine, ovarian, and mammary cancers.
Spaying also protects her from the stresses of pregnancy.
Spaying reduces her frantic interest in the outdoors and reduces the chances that she'll wander far.
Spaying reduces the chances she'll mark your home with urine when she's in heat.
Unaltered cats have urges that make them irritable and anxious. They yowl or whine frequently, fight with other cats, and/or destroy objects in the house.
Neutering a male reduces his risk from numerous health problems.
Neutering lowers his urge to roam and to fight, and thus lowers chances of disease transmission and wounds.

Neutering also reduces his tendency to spray in the home.
And neutering eliminates the powerful odor of adult male cat urine.

It costs U.S. taxpayers an estimated $2 billion each year to round up, house, kill, and dispose of homeless animals.(From http://www.ddaf.org/spayday/why/overpopulation)

A spayed or neutered animal will live a longer, healthier life with decreased risk of developing ovarian, uterine or breast cancer (females) and prostate cancer or testicular tumors (males).
A spayed or neutered animal is better behaved and less aggressive.
Spaying and neutering will reduce the desire to roam, fight, and "mark" territory.

Neutering will make males more reliable and easier to train.

If you watch Animal Planet and have ever seen an episode of “Animal Cops” you’ve probably seen episodes that show people who are “collectors” This is a mental illness similar to people who hoard “things” only these are living things and they reproduce two to four times per year. They become overwhelmed and animal welfare organizations end up removing hundreds of cats and dogs in ONE household! It all starts with one male and one female. Many people with good intentions take in animals to feed yet they don’t consider spaying or neutering and they quickly become overwhelmed at the number of animals that are produced.

“But I can’t afford to have my pet neutered.” The truth is, you can’t afford NOT to get your pet neutered.

There are low cost spay/ neuter organizations in Indiana.

1. North Central Indiana Spay and Neuter Clinic in Battleground
$40 for cats, $75 female dogs, $50 male dogs.
North Centrals phone number is 765-497-3141 for appointments to spay/neuter.

Web: http://www.pleasespay.org/

! FACE Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic1505 E. Massachusetts AveIndianapolis, IN 46201317-638-3223Web: www.facespayneuter.orgLow cost spay/neuter, vaccinations, testing, and heartworm and flea medications. FACE stands for Foundation Against Companion Animal Euthanasia. Services for ferals and pets.

! Spay/Neuter Services of IndianaIndianapolis and surrounding areas 317-788-6330Web: www.spayneuterservices.org

! The Neuter Scooter
1-866-662-5838A clinic in a van visits various locations in Indiana and Ohio and performs low cost spay/neuter for cats.
Web: http://www.neuterscooter.com/



! SPAY/USA, a national program whose mission is to end the suffering of innocent dogs and cats by reducing the number of unwanted births, is announcing its partnership with Pets ALIVE Spay/Neuter Clinic. Pets ALIVE began partnering with SPAY/USA in December 2006 to create Indiana Spay Neuter Alliance.Indiana Spay Neuter Alliance is a one stop referral service for low cost spay and neuter services throughout Indiana. Toll free number 1-866-957-7729


I also want to mention many local vets are willing to work with someone with financial need when it comes to spay and neuter. Call your vet and ask.
There is another website I highly encourage my readers to visit who may be thinking of breeding their pet. http://www.geocities.com/bluegracepwd/virtualbreeding.htmlThis is an interactive site that shows you all the ins and outs of breeding your dog and things that can and do go wrong. It will make you think twice.