Top 10 Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

Top 10 Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

By admin | 31.12.2015
  1. Your female dog or cat will live a longer, healthier life.

Spaying a female cat or dog helps prevent breast cancer and pyometra, a dangerous infection of the uterus. Breast cancer can be fatal in about 50 percent of female dogs and in 90 percent of female cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.

  1. There are major health benefits for your male animal companion, too.

Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male dog or cat prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.

  1. Your spayed female won’t go into heat.

While cycles can vary greatly, female cats can go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season.  Dogs can go into heat every 6 months.

  1. Your neutered male won’t need to roam away from home…

An intact male in search of a mate will do just about anything to find one. That includes digging his way under or jumping over the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.

  1. …and he will be much better behaved to boot.

Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. And FYI, a neutered dog protects his home and family just as well as unneutered dog- and many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.

  1. Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.

It’s no use to use that old excuse. Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds, not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.

  1. Spaying or neutering is highly cost-effective.

The cost of your pet’s spay or neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. It also beats the cost of treatment when your unneutered tom escapes and gets into fights with neighborhood strays…or the cost of cleaning the carpet that your unspayed female keeps mistaking for her litter box, or the cost of…well, you get the idea.

  1. It’s good for the community.

Stray animals pose real problems in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause vehicular accidents, damage the local fauna and scare children.

  1. Your pet doesn’t need to have a litter for your children to witness the miracle of birth.

We’ve heard this one a lot. But you know what? Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping teaches your children irresponsibility. There are countless books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a responsible manner.

  1. It packs a powerful punch in the fight against pet overpopulation.

Right now, there are over four times as many cats and dogs as there are humans here in America.  Millions of all ages and breeds are euthanized annually or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unwanted, unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.

Holiday Survival Guide for Pets and Their People

Holiday Survival Guide for Pets and Their People

By admin | 22.12.2015

Fruitcake, snow globes, bread dough – who knew these holiday staples could harm pets?

From meds to goodies to plants – plus the big 5 holiday dangers – this simple list of holiday No No No may help save pets’ lives!

Lock These Meds Away

Pseudoephedrine

Dextromethorphan

NSAIDs

Ibuprofen

Antibiotics

Cough drops

Eye drops

Goodies That Are Baddies

Wrapped gifts containing food

Snow globes

Holiday food such as chocolate, uncooked poultry, bread dough, fruitcake & alcohol
Salt in ice melt, homemade play dough and salt-dough ornaments

Pretty But Unpalatable

Poinsettia

Christmas cactus

Holly

The Big 5 Holiday Dangers

In order of call volume reported by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center:

Chocolate

Tree preservatives

Poinsettias

Medications

Alcohol

 

Source: ASPCA

Big Fix for Big D

Big Fix for Big D

By admin | 08.12.2015

Live in Dallas zip code 75211, 75217 or 75227? Make an appointment!

Big Fix for Big D aims to reduce the overpopulation of cats and dogs caused by unchecked breeding and will provide free spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations and registration for animals in three of the highest-need zip codes of Dallas: 75211, 75217 and 75227.

The three zip codes were chosen because they had the greatest number of animal-related 311 calls and the fewest surgeries per household during the first phase of Big Fix for Big D (2012-2015). In addition, the partners will focus outreach efforts on owners of large dogs, puppies and kittens as well as caretakers of free-roaming cats.

As a part of the kick-off for Big Fix for Big D 2016, the first 250 pets to be spayed or neutered as a part of the project will receive pet beds generously provided by Dickies®, the Fort Worth-based performance workwear brand, and through Big Fix for Big D Partner, the SPCA of Texas.

Big Fix for Big D partners include: Dallas Animal Services (DAS), Dallas Companion Animal Project (DCAP), the SPCA of Texas and Spay Neuter Network (SNN).

“The City of Dallas is proud to be a partner in the Big Fix for Big D project,” said DAS Manager Jody Jones. “As part of our commitment to saving lives, we must create a more humane community where pets are sterilized and provided the appropriate level of care.”

“Big Fix for Big D is about powerful partnerships with committed funders and dedicated members of the animal welfare community,” said Deanna Sauceda, Executive Director of Spay Neuter Network

The Companion Animal Funders Coalition, which includes The Dallas Foundation, the George & Fay Young Foundation, John R. McCune Charitable Trust, The Meadows Foundation and The Rees-Jones Foundation, is funding the project in 2016, along with the City of Dallas providing in-kind support.

“The ability to provide free neutering for animals in underserved neighborhoods closely aligns with DCAP’s Community Outreach initiatives and has meant so much to so many people. This investment is a critical component to changing the status quo in the City of Dallas,” said Susan Gregory Wolchansky, VP of Dallas Companion Animal Project.

Big Fix for Big D launched in April 2012 and provided more than 28,000 spay and neuter surgeries in Dallas, contributing to a significant decrease in euthanasia and a notable increase in the live release rate in the city.*

* ASPCA Dashboard, December 2014.