Mandatory Spay and Neutering Laws
Each day 10,000 humans are born in the U.S., and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all the animals. As a result, every year 4 to 6 million animals are euthanized because there are no homes for them.
Is euthanization the solution to pet overpopulation or is there another solution The current popular belief is that euthanization is not the solution, and the problem of pet overpopulation would be better resolved with all pets being spayed or neutered at a very young age. This platform is controversial however, veterinarians and animal shelters support mandatory spayneutering programs for all companion pets. The evidence is very convincing. Today there is more information and proof available that mandatory spayneutering laws and programs are necessary, to control overpopulation of companion pets, than ever before.
Reason 1 Euthanization is not the answer to control dog and cat overpopulation.
Millions of unwanted cats and dogs are killed by euthanization every year by shelters because their owners no longer wanted them. When the former pet owners were asked the reasons why they did not have the mother spayed before pregnancy, cost was the most frequent answer. Others said they didnt know the animal was in heat, they were going to get rid of it, they do not believe in altering animals, the procedure is inconvenient, they forgot or didnt have the time, thought the pet was too young, and a variety of other reasons.
Most people believe that pets taken to shelters are adopted out however, the sad facts show that most are killed by euthanization. Sick and unadoptable animals are euthanized at shelters regularly. Most likely, these are animals that were once someones pet, and they will be euthanized at a shelter, because they were in the wrong place, at the wrong time. These animals are not reject animals, but animals that were unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of people who decided they didnt want the responsibility, those who did not research the type of pet they were getting, and those who didnt treat the dog like a dog, but rather a human, which always causes behavior problems, sometimes major ones.
Veterinarians take a firm stand that a pet that is spayed or neutered is a healthier pet, and that unplanned births can be avoided with mandatory programs. They believe the number of euthanizations will decrease dramatically with mandatory spayneutering of all dogs and cats. The goal is to eliminate unwanted pregnancies, before they occur, not to use euthanization as the method to eliminate unwanted pets.
State and local governments agree that euthanization is not the answer. It is a difficult problem that can be resolved with fewer unwanted pregnancies. Unfortunately, government run shelters make it too easy for people to dispose of their unwanted pets. Government is, however, willing to support the solution of eliminating unwanted cat and dog pregnancies, through mandatory spayneutering programs, in an effort to lower the overpopulation of cats and dogs, in the United States.
Reason 2 Mandatory government regulation of spayneutering programs would educate people to realize how necessary spaying and neutering is, to your pet.
It is clear that what needs to change is the overall concept of what is involved when a person becomes a pet owner people need to be educated of what their responsibilities are, to their pets. People need to realize that adopting a pet is a long-term commitment, and a healthy pet is a happier pet. The internet is available to research various kinds of dogs and cats, before they adopt a pet. The internet can also be used to research health and behavior problems pet owners may encounter with their pet, so they should not reject the pet because of their ignorance and inexperience. Puppies and kittens grow up into adult dogs and cats the educated pet owner does not take their animal to the shelter, because it grew up into adulthood.
Unfortunately, the knowledge a person has, of responsible pet ownership, varies by the region they live, their economic status, and the state of the economy. Areas that are more prosperous have fewer pets turned in, to shelters, than areas where the economy is not well off. The level and willingness to understand their pet seems to be directly related to the economy and education.
Different regions have different beliefs of the needs of their pets that may have lasted through family generations. Many people do not know that spayneutering programs improve the health of their pets. Overpopulation leads to disease and behavior problems this is the fault of the pet owner, not the pet. Pet owners must be more aware of the problems that occur without spayneutering programs, and mandatory spayneutering programs help pet owners understand their responsibilities, so their pet does not become just another statistic in a state shelter, who will be euthanized, because they were unwanted. The majority of animals killed every year are young and healthy. Millions of dogs and cats are killed by cars and hundreds of thousands are abandoned, severely neglected, or abused.
There is no doubt that the more educated a pet owner is, the more able and willing they are to understand the needs of their pet, and this education can be achieved through mandatory spayneutering programs. These programs help educate the uneducated person to be more aware of their pets needs, and avoid unwanted pregnancies that occur because they didnt know the consequences or what to do, at the time. Veterinarians and shelters help educated pet owners who they encounter, and mandatory spayneutering programs would cause more people to be exposed to the information process of educating themselves and becoming a better pet owner. Mandatory spayneutering programs provide a very affirmative situation to educate the public, that can only be thought of as a positive situation.
Reason 3 Mandatory spaying and neutering laws would eliminate unwanted animals due to International economic and distribution.
A greater, international problem has developed that involves the overpopulation of pets, and that is over-breeding and puppy mills. Specific breeds are over-breed and sick puppies are brought across the borders, spreading disease. Unfortunately, rescuing animals in distress from other countries does not solve the overpopulation of animals in the United States, nor does importing animals from other countries, by breeders.
The fact that pets are readily available and affordable, through puppy mills and international internet websites, cause many Americans to try out different breeds, and ultimately dispose of the animal if the pet is not suitable for their needs. If the pet proves unsuitable, the pet is turned in, to a shelter, where it is considered unadoptable and euthanized.
There needs to be better laws involving breeding that are more parallel with pet overpopulation. Many successful transport programs exist and many more are being planned in order to better address the localized variations in supply and demand for specific adoptable pets. (DVM Newsmagazine. March 25, 2010) Many believe that veterinarian and shelter involvement would benefit the transport of pets and help eliminate regional overpopulation.
Is the problem of over-breeding creating a pet overpopulation problem Although breeders provide more pets than there are homes, they only breed pets because people will readily buy them. The real problem is that people purchase puppies or kittens on impulse, and treat them as disposable then the pet becomes the problem of the shelters, with the owner moving on to test another breed. Mandatory spayneutering programs protect overpopulation of pets, as well as providing breeders with guidelines and exceptions that will hopefully provide an agreeable solution to both sides involved. With stronger mandatory spayneutering laws, transport of pets, from other countries into the United States, are dealt with appropriately, and laws are designed to detour the activity, completely.
Opposing Views
Understandably, there is an opposing viewpoint and long lists against mandatory spayneutering laws. Some say that the pet overpopulation problem is limited to specific regions of the United States, and that government regulation could make the problem worse. They argue that fewer euthanizations could lead to more animals sick and suffering, left to die in the shelters, causing more cruelty than ever before.
Opponents against mandatory spayneutering laws claim there are many other problems connected with the laws. The problems include that the programs cost too much, would be difficult to enforce, is an infringement of the rights of the public and constitutional rights, and is ultimately not effective, to curb the pet overpopulation. They say that those people, who are currently complying with rabies vaccination and licensing laws, may avoid the program completely, if they now had to comply with mandatory spayneutering of their pet. Still others claim that mandatory spayneutering would not curb the aggressive behavior in dogs, and those dog kennels who raise and compete in dog fights, who would not comply with the laws, would find themselves intentionally breaking the laws.
Rebuttal Information
In all fairness, supporting veterinarians, shelters, and other supporters of the mandatory spayneutering laws and programs, in the United States, provide factual information that cannot be refuted, in response to the objections of the laws.
First, they state that, although detailed statistics cannot be produced as to how many euthanizations are actually performed, during a year, all general information shows that the number of euthanizations has increased steadily, every year, similar to the number of unwanted pets, in the United States.
Secondly, voluntary spayneutering are already established throughout the country, and the cost to spay or neuter a pet is very affordable. If someone cannot afford the low cost, there are agencies that will help with the payment, so pets who have not had owners who care for them can enjoy their life, being neutered or spayed, and being more healthy, because of it.
Finally, it is societys moral obligation to try to protect and keep dogs and cats, in todays world, from harm, as well as prevent unwanted pets from entering into the world, who will live a life of pain, hunger, illness, neglect, and abuse against people who should know better.
Conclusion
Most government state and local officials, veterinarians, shelters, and responsible pet owners agree that pet overpopulation is a huge problem, and something needs to be done immediately, to curb the ever-growing dilemma. What they do not agree upon, however, is if mandatory spayneutering laws and programs are the answer. The more people that realize the horrors of this problem and know how they can help minimize it, the better. The more animals that do not have to die needlessly, the better job we all are doing of spreading the word.
The goal is to have all dogs and cats spayed or neutered, for their own safety, and for the safety of overpopulation. As long as there is an overpopulation of pets, uneducated people will continue to dispose of unwanted pets at shelters, where there is only a remote possibility that any shelter pet will find a home, because there are simply too many pets and not enough homes. Unless we begin to enforce mandatory spaying and neutering of pets, we will never begin to solve the pet overpopulation problem. Mandatory spayneutering laws are the beginning of an attempt to solve a problem that cannot continue, for the sake of all of the pets, in the United States. They must be established and it must happen now.
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