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"Preventing animals from having litters is unnatural."
     FALSE. We've already interfered with nature by domesticating dogs and cats. In doing so, we helped create their overpopulation. We must now take responsibility for solving it.

"Its better to allow a female to have one litter before spaying."
     FALSE. The best time to spay a female is before her first heat. Early spaying greatly reduces the incidence of mammary cancer.

"Behaviour is adversely affected by surgery."
     FALSE. The only chance in behaviour is positive. Male cats tend to reduce territorial spraying, depending on their age at neutering. Neutered dogs and cats fight less, resulting in fewer battle scars, contagious diseases and absesses. They also wander less, because they aren't as interested in pursuing females in heat.

"Animals become fat and lady after spaying or neutering."
     FALSE. In most cases, animals become fat and lazy only if their guardian overfeeds and under-exercises them.

"We dont need to neuter males because they dont have litters."
     FALSE. It takes two to tango. In fact, one unaltered male can be responsible for impregnating dozens of females.

Medical Benefits of spaying and Neutering

Spaying and neutering not only curtails overpopulation, it also provides medical benefits to the animal.

* Neutering decreases and often eliminates diseases that intact male dogs are prone to later in life, including diseases of the prostate, testicles, and other tissues influenced by male hormones. Testicular, and perinanal gland cancers are the second and third most frequently diagnosed tumors in older intact male dogs.
* Spaying female cats and dogs entirely eliminates diseases of the ovaries and uterus, and, if preformed before their first or secod heat, drastically decreases the chance of mammary gland cancer. mammary cancer is very common in older intact females, and is the most common cancer to spread to the lungs.
* Neutering greatly reduces the risk of injuries and illnesses to males. Unaltered males tend to roam, increasing their chances to be killed or injured. They also tend to fight more, which guarantees wounds and infections.

What Can You Do?
* Spay or neuter your dogs and cats and encourage others to do the same.

*Adopt from your local animal shelter. All shelters are overloaded with adoptable animals who need homes.

*Dont buy animals from pet stores. Chances the cute puppy in the window came from a puppy mill. Purchasing dogs from pet stores perpetuates the cruel puppy mill industry.

*Dont buy from breeders. Again, by purchasing on animal from a breeder you are encouraging the breeding of more animals. It doesnt make sense to breed more when we must kill so many. If you have your heart set of adopting a particular breed, check the newspaper or internet for adult animals being given up, or visit a shelter or rescue group. Remember, over 20 percent of the dogs and cats who end up in shelters are purebreds.

*Support your local shelter by volunteering. Many shelters are in desperate meed of volunteers.