Myths and Facts of Spaying and Neutering

by Linda Lachman

The Myths The Facts
  • Spaying or neutering my pet will result in him or her having less personality.
  • The best and most affectionate companions are spayed and neutered pets! They are less aggressive, less likely to roam and less likely to be hurt in a fight with another animal.
  • Surgery and anesthesia puts my cat/dog's health at risk.
  • The surgery is safe, and results in a dog or cat that is free of the uterine, ovarian, breast or prostate cancer observed in many older, unaltered pets.
  • Spaying and neutering costs too much.
  • Many organizations sponsor low cost spaying and neutering. Whatever the price, spaying and neutering is a one-time cost that is far less than the veterinary bills of a pregnant female and her litter.
  • I know that I can find a good home for the puppies or kittens.
  • The problem of pet overpopulation is epidemic. Even if you do find homes for the little ones, a few less shelter animals can be saved.
  • One litter doesn't really make a difference.
  • Nearly 70,000 puppies and cats are born daily in the US. Many must be destroyed.
  • Page updated April 8, 2008