Just a friendly reminder to new puppy/kitty owners (or old ones!)

[friesianrider]

Yes this is my soapbox issue, so bear with me, but with so many DUers getting new puppies and kittens or saying their cat/dog "just had a litter", PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get all your pets spayed or neutered. Most vets will so a spay/neuter surgery as early as 10-12 weeks, but it should definitely be done no later than 5-6 months. It is SO important, in my opinion it is the most important responsibility you have as a pet owner. There are significant behavioral and health benefits to spaying and neutering (less wandering, "spraying", barking, etc). If you don't have the money for the spay/neuter surgery, most SPCAs and/or animal rescues give vouchers for free or low-cost spay/neuter. If you need help, just send me a PM with your location and I'd be more than happy to help find someone in your area.

I just started volunteering at an animal shelter and the incredible number of healthy, happy, and socialized dogs and cats that must be euthanized everyday is absolutely staggering - it is an absolute epidemic so many wonderful pets must die just because they can't find a home because there's so many. There just will NEVER be enough homes for them all, even if you can give away pups or kittens to friends or family, this too takes away homes from animals in shelters in desperate need of a safe place to live....and who wants to constantly bother with finding homes for babies all the time?

Please, everyone. I know 90% of you already know this, but it is so important, and by spaying or neutering YOU are literally saving animal's lives. It is puppy and kitten season: if you haven't already please everyone spay and neuter all your pets this summer!

Thanks for listening to me, I had a particularly rough day today :)

On edit, some important numbers:

In JUST SIX years, one female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies.

In JUST SEVEN years, one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats. Yes, from just one female cat and her babies in 7 years, almost half a million cats.

[BikeWriter]

1. I agree 100%. Thank you. ;-)

[Robeson]

2. Great message. I couldn't agree more.....

...Thanks! :applause:

[friesianrider]

5. Thank you :) nt

[Gloria]

3. I routinely donate to the major animal organizations, but am planning

to shift some of my $$ over to the local spay/neuter group, SNAP.

The new Petsmart opened up on Sat. and so many wonderful dogs up for adoption were in the store....Damned, I really wish we could save then all.

[friesianrider]

4. Good for you!

I love PetSmart for the very reason they made a conscious decision to not sell pets, but do an "Adoption Center."

I too have started giving as much as I can afford to spay/neuter groups in my area. Spaying and neutering a pet is the most critical and important action one can take to GREATLY impact pet overpopulation and also the unnecessary killing of so many animals in shelters just because they can't find a home in time. If someone sterilizes their pet and prevents just one litter from being born, it is a HUGE help to saving animal's lives.

Some numbers:

In JUST SIX years, one female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies.

In JUST SEVEN years, one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats. Yes, from just one female cat and her babies in 7 years, almost half a million cats.

[friesianrider]

6. kick nt

[sparky_in_ma]

7. Good message.

:kick:

[Wcross]

8. Couldn't agree more- this might happen!

I took in Angel a week or two before this photo (sorry about the quality). She and a pup from a previous litter were abandond two weeks before by the previous owner due to a house fire. Both the girls were pregnant.
Unless you are willing to keep the pups yourself, please get them fixed. I kept mine.

[yewberry]

9. Another friendly reminder:

You can help every single day with just a click.

www.theanimalrescuesite.com

[friesianrider]

12. Excellent site, thanks!...I've bookmarked it! nt

[BrotherBuzz]

10. Thank you! and another idea-

(Hi- BrotherBuzz's wife posting here) I have low-cost spay/neuter info in my glove compartment which I have given to people who are giving away kittens in front of the grocery store and in my neighborhood. I also have flyers to put into parked cars or truck cabs with dogs in them when the weather is getting too warm to take dogs.(click on printable version on this site): http://www.api4animals.org/565.htm
Even if the windows are partially open a car can still get too hot, and sometimes people leave a car in the shade and the sun moves while they are away.
Call me nosy, but I care about beasts.

[friesianrider]

11. Not nosy at all!

That's an excellent idea. I loathe people giving away free kittens in front of a grovery store. Also good to remind these people that there are people laboratories actually PAY to go around and literally collect free puppies and kittens from ads and stuff...to be used for experiments. Why one should never give pets away for free. Seriously...scary stuff.