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Facts
about Spaying and Neutering your Pets
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| MYTH: |
Animals
become fat and lazy after being spayed or neutered. |
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| FACT: |
Sterilization
does not cause an animal to become fat or lazy. Fat animals are
usually overfed and under-exercised. |
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| MYTH: |
It's
better to spay a female animal after her first heat or after one
Litter. |
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| FACT: |
Early
spaying reduces the incidence of mammary (breast) cancer and eliminates
diseases of the ovaries and uterus. Most veterinarians prefer
to wait until 5-6 months to spay an animal, but those as young
as 8-10 weeks of age can safely be spayed. |
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| MYTH: |
Neutering
my dog will make him less protective. |
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| FACT: |
Neutering
your dog may make him more protective of your family, since he
is less likely to roam. Neutering eliminates enlarged testicles
and prevents testicular tumors, decreases the possibility of perianal
tumors and hernias, and prevents prostate problems later in life. |
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| MYTH: |
Spaying
or Neutering will change a pet's personality and behavior. |
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| FACT: |
Neutering
can produce positive behavior changes. Neutering can reduce or
even eliminate annoying spraying behavior in male cats. Neutered
animals are less likely to roam and be hit by cars or be attacked
by other animals or cruel humans. Neutered cats fight less and
are less likely to get abscesses or become infected with diseases
like Feline Leukemia or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. |
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| MYTH: |
My
pet is getting older, and I want another one just like him/her. |
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| FACT: |
Every
animal is unique. There will never be another animal exactly like
Fido or Fluffy, so breeding will not accomplish your desire to
have another “Fido”. |
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| MYTH: |
I
can find homes for the entire litter, and make some money, too! |
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| FACT: |
There
are already far too many animals for sale to count on finding
a buyer. For every animal that is placed, another dies somewhere
else unwanted and abandoned. Add in the expense of raising a litter
- food, vaccinations, stud fees, etc.- and the time involved,
and any profits you may have imagined quickly disappear. |
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SPCA-BC's
Biggest Opportunities |
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| Q: |
What
is the most pressing issue facing SPCA-BC? |
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| A: |
Reducing
the number of homeless animals in Brazoria County. We have recently
implemented a more focused direction and strategy to address this
issue at its source and not simply at the “sheltering stage.” |
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| Q: |
Why
is it so important to reduce the number of homeless animals? |
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| A: |
The
key to alleviating the suffering and horror experienced by homeless
animals is to first stop the senseless and tragic problem we have
with companion-animal overpopulation and unplanned pregnancy among
that group. To achieve 100% adoption rates at SPCA-BC shelters
by 2012 requires an aggressive education campaign. SPCA-BC has
a goal to be in every 7th grade classroom in Brazoria County within
the next year. We also are conducting a feasibility study to determine
where a spay/neuter clinic will be the most beneficial and how
to raise the $100,000+ to open such a facility. Long-term funding
of such a clinic will require even more fundraising and contributions
from the community. |
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| Q: |
Wouldn’t
it be best to focus on opening more and more shelters? |
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| A: |
Opening
more and more shelters is like putting a band-aid on a broken
leg. Addressing the first two priorities: education and spay/neuter
programs will help reduce the number of puppies and kittens born
without a home. Responsible pet ownership means among other things:
NO ANIMAL IS BORN WITHOUT A HOME.
SPCA-BC is attacking those first two priorities and then intends
to rebuild a first-class shelter in the mid-county area where
we believe the need is greatest. |
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| Q: |
Do
you work with other animal protection organizations? |
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| A: |
Yes,
SPCA-BC works very closely with qualified and proven rescue groups.
If after 10 days of holding an animal at one of our facilities
it is not adopted, we work to locate a rescue group that has space.
Approved rescue groups must be TARPA certified and show other
proof of viability and credibility. |
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Adopting
from Southern Brazoria County Animal Shelter -- The Biggest Bargain
in Town! |
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| Q: |
I
understand the adoption fee for animals at SPCA-BC is $75. Why
don’t you give animals to people instead of charging? What
if a person can’t afford the fee? |
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| A: |
The
average cost to the Southern Brazoria County Animal Shelter for
animals that come into the shelter is more than $110 each. That
includes all the medical treatment, care and spay/neuter of the
animal. The $75 fee helps the Shelter pay for some of the costs.
With no revenue, the Shelter would cease to exist and the hundreds
of animals that find loving homes would no longer find those homes.
Additionally, we believe that if a person can’t afford the
$75 fee, there is little chance that they can afford to be a responsible
pet owner. Pet ownership is not cheap; in fact it’s quite
costly. When people can’t afford the expenses related to
pet ownership, neglecting basic care items such as annual check
ups, vaccinations, heartworm preventive, flea preventive and a
balanced diet are very likely to occur. |
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| Q: |
I
could easily find a free cat or dog and save the $75. Why should
I adopt from the Shelter? |
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| A: |
By
the time you go to your vet and have all of the procedures done
that are paid for by the Shelter, you will spend an average of
more than $220. Not free after all. |
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| Q: |
You
say adopting from the Shelter is a bargain. What do I get for
my $75? |
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| A: |
Every
animal that is adopted has been vaccinated and is current on its
vaccinations*. They have all been wormed and sprayed with Frontline®
flea preventative. At adoption, an appropriate sized vial of Frontline
is applied to each animal. Each adoptable animal is given a heartworm
preventative after being tested. Adopters are strongly urged to
continue monthly treatments of flea and heartworm prevention.
Once adopted, the animal will be spayed or neutered within 30
days of adoption or when it reaches an appropriate age. A well-animal
check up also is paid for by the Shelter within 72 hours of adoption.
*Rabies vaccinations are not given because the State of Texas
Department of Health requires a veterinarian to administer the
vaccination |
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Open
Door Shelters vs. No Kill Shelters |
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| Q: |
How
can you be proud of working at a facility that euthanizes animals
when other shelters are able to call themselves “no kill?”
Wouldn’t it be better just to leave the animals on the street
where they will be free to run and not risk euthanasia? |
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| A: |
The
Southern Brazoria County Animal Shelter is an Open Door Shelter.
That means no animal is turned away at the door. When a “no
kill” shelter is full, it must close its doors to needy
animals. Where do you think the animals go that are turned away?
Many are likely dumped back on the street. Others may make their
way to a pound, while the fortunate few will come to a shelter
like ours.
Animals that live on the street live an average of 2-4 years.
Their lives are filled with horrific suffering as they spend most
days hungry or dealing with stomach issues from eating rotten
or spoiled “food” that they forage. They don’t
always have clean water to drink and must tolerate every extreme
weather condition such as excruciating summer heat, freezing winter
temperatures, torrential rain, and every other kind of weather
condition.
They dodge vehicles and often are hit resulting in death or terrible
suffering. Stray, “free” dogs and cats must avoid
attacks by other animals as well as from abusive people. They
live with and harbor disease, flea infestation, mosquito and other
insect bites along with so many other maladies that cause them
to suffer.
When animals arrive at the Southern Brazoria County Animal Shelter
they are cared for by employees and volunteers who love animals.
They are kept comfortable, cared for, fed, medicated and loved.
Their days at the Shelter whether 10 or sixty are usually the
best they’ve ever had if they grew up “free.”
So, no, it’s not better to leave an animal running “free”
on the street; the second chance they get at the Shelter is far
and away a better option than remaining homeless. |
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Achieving
100% Adoption Rates |
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| Q: |
How
does SPCA-BC intend to achieve its vision of 100% adoption rates
and alleviate the senseless suffering of homeless animals? |
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| A: |
The
key to alleviating the suffering and horror experienced by homeless
animals is to first stop the senseless and tragic problem we have
with companion-animal overpopulation and unplanned pregnancy among
that group. To achieve 100% adoption rates at SPCA-BC shelters
by 2012 requires an aggressive education campaign. SPCA-BC has
a goal to be in every 7th grade classroom in Brazoria County and
targeted community groups within the next year. We also plan to
provide low-income families with spay/neuter procedures by mid-2005.
Successfully focusing on these two priorities will ultimately
result in fewer stray and homeless animals being born. Aggressive
fundraising and planning is currently underway to raise the $100,000+
to open such a spay/neuter facility. Long-term funding of the
clinic will require even more fundraising and contributions from
the community.
By focusing on those first two priorities, education and spay/neuter
programs, the last two priorities of SPCA-BC, Sheltering and Adoptions,
will drive us to our vision to have 100% adoption rates of adoptable
animals at our shelters by 2012. |
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