photo credit: www.metaphoricalplatypus.com

Pet overpopulation is the major cause of suffering and death in companion animals. Six million dogs and cats will end up in shelters every year and the sad truth is half of them will be euthanized because they can not find homes. In addition, there are a large number of feral ( wild or at large) pets that never make it to a shelter and have to live on the streets, sick, homeless and a safety hazard for their community.

The cure is simple–fix your pet. Did you know that female cats can breed three times a year and have an average of 4 kittens per litter. Dogs can breed twice a year with litters of 6 – 10 puppies. In just seven years, one unspayed female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens; one unspayed female dog and her offspring can produce 97,000 puppies. Your spayed or neutered pet will not be wanting to get outside and roam while looking for romance. He or she will get into less fights and you will pay fewer vet bills because of this. Spayed females have less chance of developing breast and uterine cancers. Neutered pets are less likely to want to mark their territory in your house and they smell better! Spaying and neutering is good for the community, the pet and you.

And don’t forget if you are looking for a new companion, why not look at the local shelter or humane society. There are a lot of pets there looking for forever homes!