National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month
February is national Spay/Neuter Awareness Month. As Bob Barker used to remind us, spaying and neutering our pets helps to control the pet population. While fixing your pet does keep future generations of pets from an uncertain fate, it also has direct benefits for you and your fur baby!
Benefits of Spaying
Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. In addition, female dogs and cats in heat are more likely to escape your home in search of a mate, and female cats in heat are more likely to spray your home and yowl as biological reactions to trying to attract a mate. Spaying your pet before her first heat prevents you from having to care for a pet in heat, and provides much better protection against malignant tumors developing later in life, which means a longer, happier life for them and more time for snuggles and play with you!
Benefits of Neutering
Intact males can be escape artists to try and find a mate, especially if they can detect a female in heat nearby. Unneutered males are far more likely to escape than their neutered counterparts; once loose, they are at risk of getting hurt in traffic, by wildlife, or in altercations with other escaped pets and stray animals. Neutered males also tend to be better behaved, due to the decreased amount of testosterones in their system.
In addition to behavioral benefits, neutering prevents your companion from developing testicular cancer and can prevent other prostate problems as well.
Help Them and You!
Beyond the list of health and behavioral benefits that spaying or neutering your pet offers to them, it's also a money saving move for you! While paying for a spay/neuter can seem expensive, it's much cheaper than caring for a pregnant pet and an unplanned litter.
If you don't think you can afford to have your pet fixed, you can see if you qualify for Juneau Animal Rescue's low-income spay/neuter program in partnership with Southeast Alaska Animal Medical Center HERE. If you do not qualify for this program, you can also come by JAR's walk-up window during business hours to get a 10% off referral coupon to have your pet spayed or neutered at Southeast Alaska Animal Medical Center.
February is national Spay/Neuter Awareness Month. As Bob Barker used to remind us, spaying and neutering our pets helps to control the pet population. While fixing your pet does keep future generations of pets from an uncertain fate, it also has direct benefits for you and your fur baby!
Benefits of Spaying
Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. In addition, female dogs and cats in heat are more likely to escape your home in search of a mate, and female cats in heat are more likely to spray your home and yowl as biological reactions to trying to attract a mate. Spaying your pet before her first heat prevents you from having to care for a pet in heat, and provides much better protection against malignant tumors developing later in life, which means a longer, happier life for them and more time for snuggles and play with you!
Benefits of Neutering
Intact males can be escape artists to try and find a mate, especially if they can detect a female in heat nearby. Unneutered males are far more likely to escape than their neutered counterparts; once loose, they are at risk of getting hurt in traffic, by wildlife, or in altercations with other escaped pets and stray animals. Neutered males also tend to be better behaved, due to the decreased amount of testosterones in their system.
In addition to behavioral benefits, neutering prevents your companion from developing testicular cancer and can prevent other prostate problems as well.
Help Them and You!
Beyond the list of health and behavioral benefits that spaying or neutering your pet offers to them, it's also a money saving move for you! While paying for a spay/neuter can seem expensive, it's much cheaper than caring for a pregnant pet and an unplanned litter.
If you don't think you can afford to have your pet fixed, you can see if you qualify for Juneau Animal Rescue's low-income spay/neuter program in partnership with Southeast Alaska Animal Medical Center HERE. If you do not qualify for this program, you can also come by JAR's walk-up window during business hours to get a 10% off referral coupon to have your pet spayed or neutered at Southeast Alaska Animal Medical Center.