|
||||
  
 
 |
Negligent pet owners spread trouble with unwanted cats and dogs By
Carrie Cowley
With all the joy animals bring into our lives, what could be the problem? Pet overpopulation is something every community is concerned about, but especially rural communities where a pet may be more able to escape and roam around, in search of a mate. "Twice last year we had a box of kittens dropped near our home," said Carrie Fonnesbeck, a USU student who lives in Millville. "It's hard to turn them away when they're mewing outside the front door. "What tipped us off was the food and water dish we found at the edge of our yard," she said. "I guess the people who dropped them figured they'd have enough to eat until they found a home." Further up the street, Fonnesbeck's neighter said, "We've had several cats come through the fence in our back yard only to be killed by our dog. It's a really sad thing, but if people would just spay and neuter their animals, they wouldn't follow that instinct to roam." Neutering and spaying animals is the process of surgically removing their reproductive organs. It is a relatively simple procedure, and most pets are able to go home the same day or the day after the surgery. Most veterinarians in Cache Valley have reasonable rates for spaying and neutering pets, usually costing around $50 to neuter a male and $70 to spay a female. According to the National Humane Society, advantages to having your pet spayed or neutered include a decreased male urge to "mark their territory," with urine or fight over females in heat, and a decrease in embarrassing "mounting behavior." Neutering does not affect guarding behavior in males or females. Neutering (spaying) female pets diminishes their susceptibility to life-threatening reproductive tract tumors, as well as breast tumors (occurring in over half of unspayed female dogs) to less than 1 percent of dogs spayed prior to first heat. Males have less risk of prostate tumors and infections, as well as perineal hernias and tumors. The Humane Society dismisses rumors about pets gaining weight after neutering. "Activity will decline as your pet gets older, even if you don't neuter," said the organization. "Adjust amounts of food and exercise to keep your pet in the trim." Most cities offer a licensing discount for neutered/spayed pets. For more information about spaying or neutering pets, contact a local veterinarian or refer to the Humane Society of Utah.
|
Archived Months:
January
1999 January
2000 January
2001 |
||