Spaying or neutering your pet is an important decision for pet owners. As
animal lovers who value our pets, it is important to understand the impact
of this decision.

In every community, in every state, there are homeless animals. In the U.S.
as a whole, there are an estimated 6-8 million homeless animals entering
animal shelters every year. About half of these animals are adopted, and
tragically, the other half are euthanized. These are healthy, sweet pets
who would have made great companions.

The number of homeless animals varies by state—in some states there are as
many as 300,000 homeless animals euthanized in animal shelters every year.
These are not the offspring of homeless "street" animals—these are the
puppies and kittens of cherished family pets and even purebreds.
Yes, your pet's offsping could be shelter animals

Many people believe that their pet's puppies or kittens would never become
homeless shelter animals. But the reality is that every time the dog finds
his way under the fence to visit the neighbor's female dog, or the
indoor/outdoor cat comes back home pregnant again, the result is a litter
of dogs or cats. Even if they are placed into homes, it is still possible
for them to end up in shelters once they become "hard to handle," or for
them to reproduce further and for the next generation of puppies or kittens
to wind up homeless.

Many people are surprised to learn that nationwide more than 3 million cats
and dogs are euthanized in shelters. Spay/neuter is the only permanent,
100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs and cats.
Not just for dogs and cats

When being conscientious about the pet overpopulation, don't forget to spay
or neuter your pet rabbit. Rabbits reproduce faster than dogs or cats and
often end up in shelters where they must be euthanized. Spaying or
neutering rabbits can reduce hormone-driven behavior such as lunging,
mounting, spraying and boxing. Spaying females can prevent ovarian, mammary
and uterine cancers, which can be prevalent in mature females.

Millions of pet deaths each year are a needless tragedy. By spaying and
neutering your pet, you can be an important part of the solution. Contact
your veterinarian today and be sure to let your family and friends know
that they should do the same.

Author:  Humane Society of the United States