The Importance of Spaying/Neutering Your Pet!

If you have come to The Humane Society of Southwest Missouri and sdopted a pet or you already own a pet, one of the most important health decisions you'll make is to spay or neuter your cat or dog. Spay/Neutering will vastly improve your pet's behavior, keep him close to home and offers lifelong health benefits.

Spaying your four-legged family members helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, which is fatal in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cars. Spying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases. Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, un-neutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house and many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.

Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, and frighten children. Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.