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 While there may be two schools of thought on the somewhat controversial subject of spaying and neutering dogs, it is a fact that with more puppies being produced than there is demand for those puppies, spaying and neutering makes perfect sense. What does not make sense is for unwanted litters of puppies continuing to be produced when there is already an oversupply of puppies in the first place. Rescue centres are already overflowing with unwanted puppies. If that situation is allowed to continue, it follows that there will come a time when unwanted puppies will have to be euthanized in increasing quantities. It surely makes sense that those unwanted puppies should not be born in the first place, especially when the procedures required to avoid it are relatively simple, relatively inexpensive, perfectly safe and maybe even beneficial to the dogs and bitches concerned.
Spaying
Spaying is the act of surgically removing the ovaries from female dogs. Neutering
Neutering is the act of surgically removing the testicles of a male dog. Neither operation is detrimental to the health of the dogs concerned. Neither operation alters the metabolism of the dogs concerned. Females who have been spayed do not put on weight unless they are either overfed or under exercised. Female dogs who have been spayed before they have produced a single litter are actually less likely to develop cancer of their reproductive organs later in life than if they are allowed to go into heat and produce an unwanted litter of puppies. Likewise, dogs which have had their testicles removed cannot, for obvious reasons, subsequently suffer from cancer from those organs later in life. There is also evidence to suggest that such a procedure can actually improve the temperament of the dogs concerned. In both cases, early spaying or neutering of both dogs and bitches (as puppies) means that they recover more quickly from the operation and require less pain relieving medication than older dogs. The only logical and responsible thing to do to avoid unwanted litters is to have both male and female dogs sterlized at an early age if puppies are not wanted. If owners choose not to take this course of action, then they and they alone should be responsible for any puppies produced, including keeping them all if new homes cannot be found for them.
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