MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed
them too much and don't give them enough exercise.
MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.
FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence
shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier.
Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age.
Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.
MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth—which is unlikely,
since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion—the lesson they will really
learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead,
children should learn that the real miracle is life and that preventing the
birth of some pets can save the lives of others.
MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.
FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters
around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and
purebred.
MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to
protect home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and
environment than by sex hormones.
MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.
FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will
not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional
reaction or identity crisis when neutered.
MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just
like her.
FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean her offspring
will be a carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow generations of
bloodlines can't guarantee they will get just what they want out of a
particular litter. A pet owner's chances are even slimmer. In fact, an entire
litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet's (and her mate's)
worst characteristics.
MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter. But each home you
find means one less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good
homes. Also, in less than one year's time, each of your pet's offspring may
have his or her own litter, adding even more animals to the population. The
problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.
MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of
the pet, your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But
whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost—a
relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It's a bargain
compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother
and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is
weaned can add up to significant food costs and huge veterinary bills if
complications develop. Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for
the health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets.
