Human babies are born all year round - but we humans are exceptional in this respect. Most animals are seasonal breeders. They are only able to breed at certain times of the year, and the result is intermittent population explosions of young animals. Spring/ early summer is the time when most animals are born, which is sensible timing from a survival point of view. The young, growing animal is more likely to thrive during the summer months, with the milder weather and more plentiful food supply.
This seasonal high number of puppies and kittens causes major problems for vet clinics and animal sanctuaries. Their kennels and staff are swamped by the sudden abundance of unwanted young animals. The goal is to always find homes for healthy animals, but this can be almost impossible when ten or twenty new orphans are arriving each week. The dense population of young, unvaccinated animals living together means that there is a constant risk of outbreaks of fatal viral diseases. Everybody who works with animals has seen situations where previously healthy pups or kittens die as a result.
We all do our best to minimize the extent of this problem. Most animal centers keep a list of people looking for kittens or puppies. Many also have names of people who would be willing to foster young animals for a few weeks until homes can be found. As soon as a batch of orphaned or unwanted young animals arrives, efforts are made to rehome them. When homes are found, as part of the commitment to a new pet, owners must agree to have the young animal fully vaccinated and to have then neutered as soon as they are old enough.
However, dealing with the problem as it arises every spring is not the answer. Instead, people who own pets must be made aware of their responsibilities to their animals. If you do not want kittens or puppies, then you must have your pet neutered. If your pet produces young, then you are directly responsible for their welfare. Your pet cannot choose to have itself neutered - you must do it. The neutering operation is painless, and the side effects are minimal. In fact, there are positive effects apart from the removal of breeding ability.
Female dogs who are neutered early in life have a much-reduced incidence of mammary tumors, which are the most common form of malignant cancer to affect older bitches. Neutered male dogs and cats are much less likely to stray away from home or to fight other males.
Some people say it is not 'natural' to neuter an animal, but surely keeping animals in our homes is not 'natural' in the first place. Others say that neutering somehow 'ruins' an animal - but this is nonsense - neutered animals have exactly the same personalities as they did before the operation.
Other folk worry about the cost of neutering. This is something that needs to be seen in perspective, alongside the cost of feeding a pet every day, and buying accessories such as pet beds and toys, etc. The one-off cost of neutering is small when compared to other costs in a pet's lifetime. If you do have serious financial difficulties, there may be a charity-funded discount neutering scheme in your area - ask your local animal rescue center for more information.
If we humans have chosen to share our lives and our homes with animals, then it is our responsibility to look after them properly. And that includes ensuring that they do not produce unwanted young.
Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-SHOULD-Neuter-Your-Dog!&id=8827129
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