Dog Overpopulation

Every year in the United States, there are approximately five to seven million dogs or cats that enter into shelters and about three to 4 million of those are killed via euthanasia. This equals out to about 60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats in shelters that die each year (ASPCA). These statistics are shocking, to say the least, and they are one of the many reasons why no person should ever own a pet without having them spayed or neutered.

When I say the word pet, I am focusing on cats and dogs because they are the most popular pets in the United States, yet the citizens of our nation do little to nothing to protect them. Overpopulation is a grandiose problem—and with more strays on the streets than can be counted—to say the problem is out of
control is an understatement.

The first and most important issue with not having your pets altered is the potential contribution to overpopulation. “Two unaltered cats and their offspring can produce 370,000 kittens in seven years, and more than 2 million in eight years. Two unaltered dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in six years” (ASPCA). This occurs especially when pet owners allow their pets to go outside. If your dog or cat is not fixed, they can go out into the area surrounding your home and get pregnant or impregnate a stray animal. This creates more strays and contributes to the problem of overpopulation. Indoor cats or dogs can also get out, which is why it’s important to have them spayed or neutered as well. It’s also important to have a collar for your pet or to have them micro-chipped so that they can find their way home. There is no way to tell how many strays are on the streets at any given time but it is estimated that for cats alone, the number could be around 70 million. Not only does a lack of fixed pets lead to this problem, but also the fact that many strays are lost pets which aren’t properly identified (ASPCA).

Another great reason to have your pets altered is to reduce their stress—and yours.
Pets that are unaltered have high levels of stress particularly around what is referred to as mating season. There are several annoyances that occur when animals are in heat. A few of these include: spotting of reproductive liquids on furniture and walls, pacing and crying, sexual frustration, irritability, and urine marking. There is also the benefit of avoiding life-threatening disorders, diseases and sicknesses such as cancer, birth or pregnancy complications, AIDS, and other similar problems. Lastly, having your pets fixed reduces a risk of them escaping enclosed areas to go find a mate, which can lead to death from automobiles or other animals they may encounter who will fight them for the love of the opposite sex (Animal Coalition).

The overpopulation of pets can also lead to a decrease in the populations of other species such as birds, squirrels and rodents. While it may not seem like a major issue, overpopulation definitely has a fairly significant impact on other wildlife because “worldwide, cats may have been involved in the extinction of more bird species than any other cause, except habitat destruction” (Save the
World).

Many people feel spaying or neutering their pets can be too expensive; however, a lot of people don’t know that there are plenty of low-cost or free alternatives. “Most regions of the U.S. have at least one spay/neuter clinic within driving distance that charge $100 or less for the procedure, and many veterinary clinics provide discounts through subsidized voucher programs. Low-cost spay/neuter is more and more widely available all the time” (Humane Society). There are also clinics that offer free or almost free services. Pets at shelters or from non-profit adoption groups are also spayed or neutered before being adopted out and the cost is included with the adoption fee.

Of course there are always two sides to every argument. There are those who feel spaying or neutering is completely wrong and should never be done. Many of these same people feel it is okay to run businesses selling animals for pets, fighting, breeding and any number of reasons. What these people don’t realize is that these aren’t products on the shelf at the local Wal-Mart, but in fact, they are living, breathing creatures.

On one hand, the business approach definitely makes sense. I mean who doesn’t want to make money? However, there are plenty of (too many) pets available in shelters around the nation and there is no need to create more. Some people want special breeds, but again there are plenty of special breeds that occur naturally from cross-breeding, which takes place among the strays roaming the streets or that are dropped off at shelters. There is also no need to pay hundreds of dollars for supposedly specially-bred animals when you can find perfectly wonderful pets in any shelter. In other words, the only person (or animal) the business approach pays off for is the person running the business.

There are actually many myths about unaltered pets and they are commonly used as counter-arguments as to why it’s not important to have your pets altered. One of these is that pets that are altered lose their sense of manhood or their natural ability to feel mom-like when in fact scientific studies show that animals have no sense of these things at all. Another argument for not spaying or neutering pets is that parents want their children to experience the miracle of birth but as the Humane Society points out, that miracle “is quickly overshadowed by the thousands of animals euthanized in animal shelters in communities all across the country” (Humane Society).

Quite possibly the most common counter-argument to spaying or neutering your pets is that owners feel their cat is special and they want to have more kittens or puppies just like them, but the Humane Society also points out that, “your pet’s puppies or kittens have an unlikely chance of being a carbon copy of your pet. Even professional breeders cannot make this guarantee. There are shelter pets waiting for homes that are just as cute, smart, sweet, and loving as your own” (Humane Society).

In conclusion, it is impossible to stop the overpopulation of pets. I mean if all pets were altered—100 percent of all the cats and dogs alive today—eventually there would be no more cats or dogs. Eliminating cats and dogs isn’t the goal. The goal is for pet owners to make better choices, be responsible and not contribute to a growing problem. It’s kind of like the idea of going green; there is no way to fully reverse the environmental damage humans have done, but every piece of paper of which the front and back are both used, or every plastic bag that is recycled helps to cut down on the problem.

With millions of pets killed every year, there is no need to create more, no need to waste money buying them from breeders, and no need to buy into silly myths about why it’s better to supposedly keep your animals pure. What is important, however, is being a responsible human and protecting what we cherish so much. Getting your pets spayed or neutered or adopting a pet that is already fixed is the most important part of owning a pet because these animals are helpless against the problems of their respective species. It’s up to us to help cut back on the ridiculous amount of unneeded animal deaths that occur every year.