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Do It For Love
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 Some
Shocking Statistics
What
Do “Spay” and “Neuter” Mean?
Why
Spay or Neuter?
Myths
and Facts about Spay/Neuter
The
Hill Country SPCA Spay/Neuter Program
Animal
Friendly License Plate
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Some Shocking Statistics
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An estimated three to four million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters each
year.
In fact, depending on the source, the number of pets euthanized annually
is estimated to be as high as eight to ten million.
The cause is pet overpopulation.
Do you need another reason to spay or neuter your pet?
OK. Here are a few more:
Each day, 10,000 human babies are born in the US, and each day 70,000
puppies and kittens are born.
To provide a home for these animals, each person in the US would have to
have seven pets.
In reality, there will never be enough homes for all the animals born in
this country.
The pet overpopulation problem in our state costs the taxpayers of Texas
$20 million annually for animal control.
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In 3 years, one
female dog and her brood can produce 512 puppies. In 6 years, the
number is 67,000 puppies.
In
3 years, one unsprayed female cat and one intact male cat can
produce 382 kittens. In 7 years one female cat and her offspring can
produce 420,000 cats. |
The pet overpopulation problem is real.
Because of it, millions of animals that could be loving family pets are
killed each year.
Millions of others are abandoned and run wild, often to die an early
death because of disease or under the wheels of a car.
Why are they being killed and abandoned?
Because their care givers, the ones who have sworn to love and protect
these animals are not spaying and neutering their pets.
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What Do "Spay" and "Neuter" Mean? |
A female dog or cat is spayed by removing her ovaries and uterus.
A male dog or
cat is neutered by removing his testicles.
In both cases the operation is
performed while the pet is under anesthesia.
These procedures prevent animals
from being able to reproduce.
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Why Spay or Neuter? |
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The only solution to
the pet overpopulation problem - and the pet euthanasia and abandonment
problem - is to spay or neuter companion animals. |
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In addition:
Spaying or Neutering Is Good for Your Pet
Spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier
lives.
Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and
greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer.
Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and decreases the incidence
of prostate disease.
Spaying or Neutering Is Good for You
Spaying and neutering makes for better, more affectionate pet
companions.
Spaying and neutering can make pets less likely to bite.
Neutering makes males less likely to roam the neighborhood, run
away, or get into fights.
Neutering cats makes them less likely to spray and mark territory.
Spaying a dog or cat eliminates her heat cycle, which can last six
to 12 days, twice a year, in dogs and six to seven days, three or
more times a year, in cats.
Spaying and Neutering Are Good for Your Community
Communities spend millions of dollars to control unwanted animals.
Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem of dog bites and
attacks.
Animal shelters are overburdened with surplus animals.
Stray pets and homeless animals get into trash containers, defecate
in public areas or on private lawns, and frighten or anger people
who have no understanding of their misery or needs.
Some stray animals also scare away or kill birds and wildlife.
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Myths and Facts about Spay/Neuter |
Myth: My pet will get fat and lazy.
Fact: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners
feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise.
Myth: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.
Fact: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering
will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of
emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.
Myth: It's better for her to have one litter first.
Fact: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence
shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many
veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age.
Myth: My children should experience the miracle of birth.
Fact: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth — which is
unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion — the lesson they
will really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits
adults.
Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life and
that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others.
Myth: But my pet is a purebred.
Fact: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal
shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed
and purebred.
Myth: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
Fact: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age
of the pet, your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables.
But whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost — a
relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits.
Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and
the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets.
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The Hill Country SPCA
Spay/Neuter Program
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The Hill Country SPCA sponsors a Spay/Neuter Voucher Program each year
to assist pet owners in the community obtain low cost or no cost spaying
or neutering for their pets.
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How does the Spay/Neuter Voucher Program work?
Each year, the Hill Country SPCA receives spay/ neuter funding in the
form of donations or foundation grants.
The Hill Country SPCA uses this money to fund its Spay/Neuter Voucher
program, which assists those who do not have the ability to pay for
sterilizing their pets.
Pet owners needing assistance to pay for spaying or neutering their
animals can pick up a Spay/Neuter Voucher at the Trudy Brune Hill
Country SPCA.
There is no cost for the voucher.
However, if a pet owner can pay a portion of the spay or neuter cost,
we request that he or she make a donation to the HC SPCA Spay/Neuter
fund in exchange for the voucher. Even $5 helps.
The pet owner then takes his or her pet and the voucher to one of our
participating local veterinarians and uses the voucher to “pay for” the
procedure.
The veterinarian completes the voucher describing the animal and type
of procedure performed and returns it to the Hill Country SPCA.
The Hill Country SPCA then pays the vet directly.
Since its beginning in 1997, the Hill Country SPCA has paid for the
spaying or neutering of more than 2500 companion animals in the
Fredericksburg and Gillespie County community.
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Animal Friendly License Plate
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One of the many specialty license plates offered by the State of Texas is the
“Animal Friendly” plate.
From the $30 specialty plate fee, $22 goes to the Texas Department of Health to
make grants to eligible organizations like the Hill Country SPCA that sterilize
animals owned by the general public at minimal or no cost.
You can purchase an “Animal Friendly” license plate from the State of Texas. See
www.dot.state.tx.us .
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Make a Donation for the Animals in Our Care
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We spend an average of $50 a month
to provide food, shelter,
and medical attention for each animal in our care.
If you would
like to help us, please visit
Help the Animals to make a
secure online donation.
The Hill Country SPCA respects the privacy of its donors and
does not sell or exchange any donor information.
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Remember…. It’s all about the animals!
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The Hill Country SPCA
2981 South Highway 16
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
(830) 990-9085
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