For every person that is born, 15 dogs and 45 cats are born.

Pet overpopulation is a big problem. As these statistics show, in order to help keep up with the current flood of puppies and kittens, every person would have to own two dogs and six cats at all times.

A household of five would have to harbor 10 dogs and 30 cats!  Adoption alone is obviously not the answer.  Altering is. Please spay or neuter your pets.

From January through July 2002 the Clermont Humane society reports:

All pets should be surgically altered for many reasons:

FEMALES (Spaying - Ovariohysterectomy)

• Prevents signs of estrus (heat).
• Prevents blood stains on the carpet from the heat cycle.
• Decreases surplus of puppies and kittens.
• Decreases the chance of developing breast tumors later in life
• Decreases the chance of cystic ovaries and uterine infections later in life.

MALES (Neutering - Castration)

• Decreases the desire to roam the neighborhood.
• Decreases aggression -- become more loving pets (more affectionate).
• Decreases incidence of prostate cancer later in life.
• Prevents odor of Tom Cat urine.
• Prevents Tom Cat spraying and marking furniture and walls.

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SPAY/NEUTER FACTS

• Spaying does NOT cause a pet to get fat or lazy. This comes from overfeeding and poor exercise.
• Personalities are NOT altered by spaying. Personalities do NOT fully develop until two years of age. Aggressiveness and viciousness are not the result of surgery. Personalities will ONLY get better!
• Surgical risk is very slight due to modern anesthesia and techniques, but there is ALWAYS some SMALL risk when an anesthetic is used.
• It is much easier on the pet to be spayed before going through a heat cycle, due to the smaller size of the reproductive tract.
• Best age to spay or neuter pets is 6-8 months of age.
• Surgery is performed painlessly while your pet is under general anesthesia. Post-surgical pain is minimal. Most pets go home the same day surgery is performed.