With 3-4 million adoptable animals euthanized annually in US shelters due to overcrowding, it's clear overpopulation of cats and dogs is a serious problem. In 6 years one female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 dogs; one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats. The primary solution to this overpopulation problem is prevention. Spaying or neutering your pet ensures that your pet will not contribute to overpopulation by producing offspring. Even if you do not purposely breed your pet, animals are wiley creatures and your pet may turn up unexpectedly pregnant. With 6-8 million new cats and dogs in shelters per year and many more loose and abandoned, it is negligent to leave your pet unfixed. If all companion animals were spayed and nuetered, it would not be long before there were no more homeless pets.

In addition to helping solve the overpopulation problem, spaying or neutering your pet has many benefits for is both animal and owner. For the animal, sterilized pets are usually healthier and live longer. Breast cancer is less likely in spayed females and uterine and ovarian cancers do not occur. Prostate cancer is less likely in neutered males and testicular cancer does not occur. For the owner, neutering also usually subdues the animal's urge to wander, mark his territory, and engage in fights for dominance. A very high percentage of animals hit by cars are unneutered males. Sterilization usually decreases undesirable behaviors like aggression, spraying, wailing, and humping. Sterilized animals are often more affectionate and easier to train.

"But I would never do that to myself"
We are not asking you to. But dogs and cats are not people. They will not "miss" their sexual organs, or be sad they cannot reproduce. What they will be is better, happier, healthier pets, and you will be helping others like them to live.

"But my animal will change, and get fat and lazy"
Spaying or neutering does NOT change the personality or the physique of your animals. Other than the above stated character benefits, your dog or cat will still be who it was before altering. Animals get fat and lazy for one reason: their owner feeds them too much and doesn't exercise them enough. Period.

"But I want to breed my dog because it's wonderful, or purebred"
Whether or not your dog is of breeding quality is irrelevant. Every litter of kittens and puppies takes countless opportunities away from homeless animals. Even if all your future unborn puppies are spoken for, you are taking away homes from those on death row. Go to a shelter and see for yourself how many other wonderful animals there are. Do they deserve to be put to death? If you love animals, you will not breed your own.

"We want the kids to see the miracle of birth"
There are plenty of other opportunities for your children to witness life's miracles. Most pregnant females will want to give birth quietly and discreetly anyway, so it's unlikely your children will get to see. Instead of teaching your children that animals are simply pawns of our desires, why not teach your kids compassion and caring for all living things, and have them volunteer at a shelter with you instead? You could even take home a litter of puppies to foster - there will no doubt be several to choose from at your local shelter.

Sources
Best Friends Magazine Jan/Feb 2000
The Anti Cruelty Society
Oregon Humane Society