kawerau spca - why you should desex your pets.
The benefits of desexing your pets
Kitten season is a stressful time for volunteers at animal shelters and SPCA's around New Zealand. There are more than the usual number of mouths to feed, much more mess, less space, higher expenses and a huge amount of pressure to find homes for each animal. The same thing happens every summer. The sad thing is that it doesn’t have to be this way. The problem could almost vanish overnight if everyone desexed their pets.
Some people say that desexing is too expensive. Kawerau SPCA says, “desexing is part of responsible pet ownership.” There are groups offering help with desexing costs if a pet owner is experiencing financial hardship. Ask at any SPCA or vet clinic. There are also online groups offering assistance.
Besides being the right thing to do, desexing has many benefits for the pets themselves. Most cats and dogs will live longer, happier lives if they are desexed. They will be less likely to display anti-social or aggressive behaviour and will be easier to manage. The risk of pets contracting particular kinds of cancers will be eliminated completely, and the possibility of certain other health problems developing, significantly reduced. Animals will be less inclined to wander, thereby reducing the likelihood of being run over, or getting into fights, which can cause injuries that require veterinary treatment. Most council registration fees for desexed dogs are also cheaper. Male cats will be less likely to spray and mark territory.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of all of having a desexed pet, is that there will be no unwanted pregnancies. No further homeless animals to add to the thousands of others who sit, languishing in animal shelters around the country because there aren’t enough homes for them all. There will be less stress for council staff and vets who have the onerous task of ending the lives of beautiful animals, who did nothing wrong, but were simply born ‘unwanted.’ There will also be less work for SPCA volunteers, who could then have their lives back, and less animal abuse in our communities because every kitten/puppy would be a wanted one.
The biggest myths that exist regarding desexing is that having the operation will change a pet’s personality, or make him or her fat and lazy. This is not true. It is also a myth that a female animal should give birth to a litter before being desexed. It is far better for any animal’s health to have them desexed before they ever have a litter.
Owning an undesexed female dog that comes ‘on heat’ twice a year can also be a real headache, as it will invite a lot of unwelcome attention from dogs in the neighbourhood. Your property could become the destination of choice for many canine visitors.
If you have a pet that is not desexed, please make a veterinary appointment today. You will have a happier, healthier animal because of the procedure, and your proactiveness will save a tonne of heartache in the future for both animals and people.
© Kawerau SPCA Jan 2015
Kitten season is a stressful time for volunteers at animal shelters and SPCA's around New Zealand. There are more than the usual number of mouths to feed, much more mess, less space, higher expenses and a huge amount of pressure to find homes for each animal. The same thing happens every summer. The sad thing is that it doesn’t have to be this way. The problem could almost vanish overnight if everyone desexed their pets.
Some people say that desexing is too expensive. Kawerau SPCA says, “desexing is part of responsible pet ownership.” There are groups offering help with desexing costs if a pet owner is experiencing financial hardship. Ask at any SPCA or vet clinic. There are also online groups offering assistance.
Besides being the right thing to do, desexing has many benefits for the pets themselves. Most cats and dogs will live longer, happier lives if they are desexed. They will be less likely to display anti-social or aggressive behaviour and will be easier to manage. The risk of pets contracting particular kinds of cancers will be eliminated completely, and the possibility of certain other health problems developing, significantly reduced. Animals will be less inclined to wander, thereby reducing the likelihood of being run over, or getting into fights, which can cause injuries that require veterinary treatment. Most council registration fees for desexed dogs are also cheaper. Male cats will be less likely to spray and mark territory.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of all of having a desexed pet, is that there will be no unwanted pregnancies. No further homeless animals to add to the thousands of others who sit, languishing in animal shelters around the country because there aren’t enough homes for them all. There will be less stress for council staff and vets who have the onerous task of ending the lives of beautiful animals, who did nothing wrong, but were simply born ‘unwanted.’ There will also be less work for SPCA volunteers, who could then have their lives back, and less animal abuse in our communities because every kitten/puppy would be a wanted one.
The biggest myths that exist regarding desexing is that having the operation will change a pet’s personality, or make him or her fat and lazy. This is not true. It is also a myth that a female animal should give birth to a litter before being desexed. It is far better for any animal’s health to have them desexed before they ever have a litter.
Owning an undesexed female dog that comes ‘on heat’ twice a year can also be a real headache, as it will invite a lot of unwelcome attention from dogs in the neighbourhood. Your property could become the destination of choice for many canine visitors.
If you have a pet that is not desexed, please make a veterinary appointment today. You will have a happier, healthier animal because of the procedure, and your proactiveness will save a tonne of heartache in the future for both animals and people.
© Kawerau SPCA Jan 2015
desexing - the kindest cut of all
The eastern Bay of Plenty is over-saturated with dogs and cats. There are simply not enough homes for all of them. It’s the same all over New Zealand.
Walk into any SPCA or animal shelter around the country and you will see what I mean. Kitten season is currently in full swing and there are loads of very cute, but homeless baby felines waiting to be adopted. At Kawerau, an unusually high number of puppies are flooding into the centre also.
The solution to stopping this annual deluge of baby animals is simple, and literally at pet owner’s fingertips - one phone call to make a vet appointment for a desexing operation.
Desexing your pet is one of the kindest things you can ever do for them. Freeing your four-legged family member from the burden of producing endless litters of offspring will add to their quality of life. Desexed pets are generally healthier and happier animals who tend to live longer also. They are far less likely to roam and that reduces their risk of being hit by a vehicle leading to either their death or the need for veterinary treatment. Your pet will also be less likely to get into fights and display aggressive or anti-social behaviour.
A one-time effort from a pet owner to have their pet desexed will prevent many kittens or puppies being born into a world that does not want them. That must surely be the ultimate in proactive kindness. It’s also a win for pet owners, because having unwanted litters to take care of and home can be extremely stressful and expensive.
It is a myth that desexing your pet will change its personality or that it will make it fat and lazy. That is simply not true.
When an undesexed female dog comes on heat twice a year, her scent can attract dogs from all over the neighbourhood to the property where she lives. If that’s a source of stress an owner doesn’t want, then desexing is the answer.
Pet owners who would like to have their animals desexed but are experiencing financial hardship should contact their local vet clinic or SPCA to find out what assistance is available. Often there is help accessible if a pet owner has a Community Services Card.
© Kawerau SPCA February 2016
Walk into any SPCA or animal shelter around the country and you will see what I mean. Kitten season is currently in full swing and there are loads of very cute, but homeless baby felines waiting to be adopted. At Kawerau, an unusually high number of puppies are flooding into the centre also.
The solution to stopping this annual deluge of baby animals is simple, and literally at pet owner’s fingertips - one phone call to make a vet appointment for a desexing operation.
Desexing your pet is one of the kindest things you can ever do for them. Freeing your four-legged family member from the burden of producing endless litters of offspring will add to their quality of life. Desexed pets are generally healthier and happier animals who tend to live longer also. They are far less likely to roam and that reduces their risk of being hit by a vehicle leading to either their death or the need for veterinary treatment. Your pet will also be less likely to get into fights and display aggressive or anti-social behaviour.
A one-time effort from a pet owner to have their pet desexed will prevent many kittens or puppies being born into a world that does not want them. That must surely be the ultimate in proactive kindness. It’s also a win for pet owners, because having unwanted litters to take care of and home can be extremely stressful and expensive.
It is a myth that desexing your pet will change its personality or that it will make it fat and lazy. That is simply not true.
When an undesexed female dog comes on heat twice a year, her scent can attract dogs from all over the neighbourhood to the property where she lives. If that’s a source of stress an owner doesn’t want, then desexing is the answer.
Pet owners who would like to have their animals desexed but are experiencing financial hardship should contact their local vet clinic or SPCA to find out what assistance is available. Often there is help accessible if a pet owner has a Community Services Card.
© Kawerau SPCA February 2016
