The benefits of spaying & neutering
At HSHPE, we spay/neuter all dogs, cats and rabbits who come into our care unspayed/unneutered (except in rare cases where they cannot undergo surgery). We do so because spaying and neutering animals helps them live longer, happier lives and prevents pet overpopulation.
Why spay/neuter your animals?
Intact males and females exhibit natural behaviors associated with mating, including the desire to roam outside, yowling, urine marking and potentially aggressive behavior towards other males.
Your intact female dog or cat will inevitably attract male attention and your intact male pet will always be on the lookout for a mate. This can cause a lot of stress and worry for pet owners.
On the flip side, many pet owners report their pets as being much calmer and content after spay/neuter surgery.
Spaying your female pet lessens her risk of certain health problems like uterine infections and breast and reproductive cancers.
Neutering your male pet reduces his chances of developing testicular cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate gland).
Plus they are less likely to roam, less likely to fight and less likely to encounter predators or be hit by cars.
Unspayed and unneutered cats and dogs can reproduce quickly, leading to a growing number of stray animals in our community.
Life as a stray animal is a hard one, and they are subject to cold, predators, hunger and disease. Stray animals can also spread disease to household pets.
Pet overpopulation results in the growth of feral colonies in our community. Stray animals wander along roadways, endangering their own lives and the safety of drivers. Stray animals often end up in our shelter, sometimes sick and injured and must be cared for and socialized to try to make them suitable to be household pets.