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Originally Posted by megansmomma  I don't care about any research that claims that unaltered animals are healthier. The fact that 2.7 million healthy, adoptable cats and dogs—about one every 11 seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year. That alone ends any debate for me regarding not altering ALL pets. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.
People are just not responsible when it comes to pet ownership and doing basic preventative care such as vaccines, monthly heartworm preventions and a yearly visit to the vet. What makes anyone think that keeping unaltered animals is a wise decision is beyond me. I would much rather see an altered pet be loved and have a possibility of some type of health issue down the road than a shelter full of cast off unwanted animals awaiting their death sentence.
Sure if you are a responsible breeder and take your responsibility seriously then I don't see a problem with not altering. But we all know "breeders" that have oops matings. People that come to YT for medical advice instead of vetting properly or looking for reason not to alter their animals will take this information and run with it for their own justification.
I firmly believe that all pets should be alter and not contribute to the overpopulation of animals in this country. |
I would much rather see healthy pets! And the very real cost of health issues and the huge emotional toll on the future owners not be BORNE by both the dog and the owner. Please let me know how you would feel when your dog was neutered at 6wks old and 1.2 yrs down the road suffers from crippling CHD in both hips? If we had only waited!
The answer is always making an "informed decision", and I will always advocate for the health of dogs. Period non stop.
If certain folks want to "take| this information and run with it, well so be it! I will never advocate irresponsibly a position that puts at risk the health of a dog.
This is what this forum is for. Education. Offering different points of view.
I abhor breedings that don't even come close to meeting the breed standard. I abhor folks who mindlessly adopt a puppy, only to somehow not understand that this is a puppy, and then 2 months later they surrender it.
The answer in my mind is not to "suppress" information, to "suppress" studies on the health risks or benefits; but to educate. To educate in all facets of responsible dog ownership. And that includes when to spay or neuter. It includes how to train a good citizen dog.
We should not hide our heads in the sand. Despite the heart breaking stats on shelter dogs. Health of the dog is foremost in my mind.