Preventative Care@3x

World Spay Day – February 24

Feb 24, 2015 | Uncategorized

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World Spay Day is celebrated the last Tuesday of every February. It exists to bring awareness to pet overpopulation. The Human Society reports on their website, “About 2.7 million healthy, adoptable cats and dogs—about one every 11 seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.”

Many pet owners, more so male pet owners, fear that their pet will feel less “manly” if they are neutered and that they will lose some of their natural tendencies, such as protectiveness. This myth has been debunked and the truth is, these tendencies are more personality-based. So having your pet spayed or neutered keeps them and any future litters safe. It is becoming more common to spay or neuter your pets earlier, rather than as they get older.

The Humane Society also shared remarkable statistics on their website from 2014 World Spay Day.

  • 68,239 dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals were spayed or neutered
  • There were more than 700 World Spay Day events
  • All 50 states and 41 countries participated
  • 24 resolutions supporting spay/neuter were passed

These numbers only reflect pet owners who chose to make the decision to spay or neuter at a World Spay Day event, which is wonderful considering people are making this choice for their pets daily. There is no need to wait though for a national day dedicated to this movement! If all pet owners band together, the number of animals in shelters will drastically decrease.

If you have been considering spaying or neutering your pet, but you are concerned about cost, check online for free spay/neuter clinics and events in your area. Some clinics will hold events certain days of the month that they will perform these procedures free of charge.

Source: “Hooray for World Spay Day 2014,” http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/spay_day/

Source: http://www.humanesociety.org/

Disclaimer: Not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian with any questions you may have regarding the medical condition of your pet. If you think your pet has a medical emergency, call or visit your veterinarian or your local veterinary emergency hospital immediately.