There are many medical and behavioral benefits in having your female dog or cat spayed and your male dog or cat neutered:

EASIER FOR YOU
Females

•   Eliminates messy "heat" periods
•   Eliminates the scent that attracts annoying males
•   Eliminates the frantic pacing and crying while in heat
•   Reduced dog license fees will quickly cover the cost of the operation

•   Usually stops tomcats from "spraying" foul smelling urine
•   Reduces the annoying and embarrassing urge of male dogs to "mount" people's legs
•   Reduced dog license fees will quickly cover the cost of the operation
•   Reduces aggression against other animals. Fewer fights will save money and aggravation.

•   Eliminates the problems and risks of pregnancy and birth
•   Eliminates the common problems of cancer and infection of the uterus later in life
•   Decreases the possibility of mammary tumors.

•   Without the urge to seek out females your pet runs fewer risks associated with
•   free-roaming animals
•   Reduces the risk of prostate problems and testicular tumors later in life

•   Rids you of the worry of what to do with unplanned litters of puppies & kittens.
•   One female dog or cat can be responsible for 4,372 off-spring in just 7 years!

•   One male running loose for just a few hours can impregnate many females, adding to the     serious problem of unwanted puppies and kittens

•   Decreases your pet's desire to roam in search of a mate, reducing the risks associated with free-roaming animals
•  A spayed female is a more relaxed and loyal member of your family

•   A frustrated male can break down doors and jump fences in his desire to mate
•   A neutered pet is a more relaxed and loyal member of your family

1. Spaying or neutering will make my dog fat or change its behavior.
FACT: Spaying or neutering your pet will not make them fat or lazy. Too much food and not enough exercise is the main cause of obesity.  There are no negative changes after spaying or neutering. If any change does occur, it will help your pet . Changes in a desire to roam to find a mate will prevent your pet from getting hit by a car or into a fight; male cats are less likely to spray and mark territory - a very good change!

2. Neutering my dog will take away his "guard dog" instincts.
FACT: Neutering a dog does not reduce his ability as a guard dog.  He will still be as protective of his territory as he was before the surgery.

3. She should have one litter first.
FACT: It is actually better for her NOT to have a litter or heat period before being
spayed. The best time to spay a female pet is before her first heat. This eliminates her risk of uterine
and ovarian cancer and it reduces her risk of mammary cancer. Remember, pets do not miss the
"experience" of birth! She can be spayed at 8 weeks of age by some veterinarian and 4 months from others.

4. I will find homes for my puppies or kittens, I can give them away free.
FACT: Adopting a pet is a big responsibility. People who accept pets on an impulse or as a favor for a friend may not provide that pet with quality, long-term care. Cute kittens and puppies grow up into big cats and dogs. Without proper training these pets can become destructive and undesirable. Pets left outdoors can be hit by cars or catch diseases. A pet that is ignored and left alone in the backyard is never happy. Don't assume that it will be easy to find good homes for your pets. You may be able to place your puppies or kittens, but are they all "good" homes? Remember, each time you place one from your litter, somewhere else an animal is being killed because there was no home for him. Right now in the United States alone, 15 million animals are being euthanized each year!

5. Neutering or spaying will be painful.
FACT:  Neutering and spaying is a safe and relatively painless operation done by a licensed veterinarian.  Due to modem medicine and anesthetics, there is no pain during the surgery. Most pets feel some minor discomfort afterwards, but by the next day, most pets are playing and eating like usual.  Animals that are not spayed or neutered suffer much more from injuries due to mating fights or the pain of birth. Your pet will appreciate the freedom from sexual frustration

6. Spaying and neutering will help my pet live a longer life.
FACT: Studies show that a spayed and neutered animal have a life expectancies twice as long as those of unspayed and unneutered animals.

7. I won't be able to show my pet in obedience or agility trials.
FACT: Even pets with AKC papers my show in obedience and agility competitions spayed or neutered.  UKC permits mixed breeds to show and must be spayed or neutered. The different agility associations permit spayed and neutered animals and some permit mixed breeds.  Purebreds without papers my apply for an ILP number (Indefinite Listing Privileges) from AKC and must show proof of spay and neuter.

8. The surgery is too expensive.
FACT: The one-time cost of a spay or neuter is small compared to the cost of raising litters of kittens or puppies or to the cost of medical treatment for abscesses and diseases that a pet can get from fights due to mating behavior. Reproductive cancers later in life can not only cost a lot to treat, but might cost the life of your pet! Several low cost clinics are available too, contact your local Humane Society.

9. I will be depriving an animal of the natural right to mate and reproduce.
FACT: An animal that is spayed or neutered does not have the urge to mate, consequently it is not deprived of anything.   The human emotions surrounding "love" should not be confused with dog and cat psychology and reproduction.

10. My children need to see the miracle of birth.
FACT: Most pets need privacy during the birth process, so this is not a good viewing time. In fact, many pets will find a good hiding place so you'll miss the birth anyway. If this must be seen, why not rent one of the many well-documented videos on birth? A much better lesson for your children involves learning about the responsibility of quality pet care. Teach them that pets are a lifetime commitment and that they require our respect, love, and compassion. Providing this type of education is much more beneficial in helping your children learn the "big picture" about pets.

11. Preventing animals from having litters is unnatural.
FACT: Since we have already created an "unnatural" situation by domesticating pets, we need to continue our responsibility and provide the best health care for our pets. Spaying and neutering not only helps reduce the pet overpopulation problem, it helps individual pets from getting reproductive cancers and other health problems due to mating behavior (fight injuries and contagious diseases). Protecting your pet from health problems and risky situations is very natural!

12. Males pets don't have babies, so I don't need to bother to neuter them.
FACT: Male animals are needed to make babies, so if your male pet is wandering around, he will be adding to the pet overpopulation problem. Neutered males may not be as likely to get certain types of reproductive cancer later in life. Male pets are not human beings - they don't "mind" being
neutered!
 

 Break the myths - learn the facts about spaying and neutering. Spaying or neutering your pet prevents certain types of reproductive cancers from developing. Pets that are spayed or neutered aren't as likely to wander away from home in search of a mate, reducing their risk of accidents and fight injuries. For your pet's sake, spay or neuter!

              Other FACTS:

              * Millions of tax dollars are spent to care for lost, abandoned
               and unwanted pets and millions more to destroy those that
               find no homes.

               *Health and safety are threatened by rabies, dog bites, cat
               scratches and traffic accidents.

               *Property may be damaged and livestock killed or injured
               when pets run "wild" or in packs.

               * 15 MILLION cats and dogs are killed each year in the
                United States alone, at least half in public shelters and private
                non-profit shelters. The rest die from accidents, poisoning,
                exposure, starvation and disease. Most of these victims are
                the unwanted offspring of family pets.