TO SPAY/NEUTER OR NOT TO SPAY/NEUTER?

RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL OWNERS OF TENNESSEE, INC., ADVOCATES THE VOLUNTARY SPAYING OR NEUTERING OF ALL "PET QUALITY" ANIMALS.  Research shows pets are in shelters primarily due to owners not understanding their pets most basic behaviors and needs and/or lifestyle changes on the part of owners.  RAOT, therefore, opposes legislation that would force owners to spay or neuter their pets, even when such legislation allows for limited breeding through a licensing or permit system.  However, there are a number of reasons that pet owners should spay/neuter their pets, such as:

1. MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL BENEFITS: No "heat" periods, reduction in territory marking, better health, reduction of male dominance aggression, and potential decreases in prostate, testicular, uterine and mammary cancers.

2. CONVENIENCE: Fewer "unwanted" but natural behaviors like marking, escaping, mounting, sexual aggression or frustration. Various cleanliness and health benefits.

3. MISCELLANEOUS: Spaying/neutering does not reduce a dog's ability to act as a guard or watch dog. It does not make your pet fat - too much food and not enough exercise do. It will not hurt your pet or change its personality. It is usually a safe and relatively painless operation when done by an experienced, qualified and licensed veterinarian. After recovery is complete, you should not be able to tell any difference whatsoever in your pet's before and after personality.

While the reasons that animals are in shelters is varied, do your part by voluntarily spaying or neutering your "pet quality" animals. The following is a list of some of the common reasons people have to breed their pets. Such reasoning is usually based of a lack of information that, if they had known better, might cause owners to reconsider whether to breed or not.  We provide the following for your consideration:

(1) I want another animal just like dear old "____________." This is not a realistic expectation because, except by cloning, it is impossible to get another animal just like the animal you have. Further, even if you could clone your friend, every animal is special and unique and has its own personality. That personality is largely a result of the time and patience you, or someone else, gave the pet during its formative stages, and its unique life experiences. Rather than go through the time and expense of breeding, your desire for another animals might be better served if you adopt an animal from a local shelter with the traits you desire or if you get another animal from a responsible breeder.

(2) I want my children to experience the "joy of life." Parents who think birthing is such a wonderful experience for children usually never consider that they are also potentially exposing their children to still births, the dam's birthing distress and potential life-threatening problems or potential death of a beloved pet. In addition, the progeny face a questionable future if sold to people that do not understand the animal's most basic needs and behaviors. Rent a nature film, have your children do volunteer work at a vet's office, visit a farm during calving time, go to the zoo, all are viable alternatives to bringing animals into the world for this reason.  ONE IS SEVEN ANIMALS STAYS WITH ITS OWNER FOR LIFE.

(3) My mother, sister, daughter, father, brother, son, friend, neighbor or co-worker wants a pet just like my dear old "___________," and want me to breed a litter so they can have a pet just like my dear old "___________." What they really want is YOUR ANIMAL. The qualities they LOVE are the result of what YOU conditioned or trained the animal to do. Your mother, sister, daughter, father, brother, son, friend, neighbor or co-worker may not be capable of creating a similarly wonderful pet even if given the most wonderful baby animal in the entire world! They may think your animal is especially attractive, but they are not usually qualified JUDGES of quality animals. Breeding decisions should be left to those who understand their animals' genetic history, breeding, and the breed. You and whoever will both be happier if you gently suggest that they consider adopting one of the numerous animals that need homes from shelters or purchase an animal from an experienced and responsible breeder.

(4) I want to breed animals for money. More and more often breeders are being held liable, as breeders, for the animals they breed. This may be limited to the cost of the animal, but, increasingly, courts award the cost of the treatment for genetic diseases and problems and punitive damages for the pain and suffering endured by whomever bought the animal. Court costs, attorney fees and monetary awards can turn a bad breeding decision into a financial nightmare!

Breeding animals RESPONSIBLY is not profitable. Evaluating an animal's suitability as breeding stock is incredibly time-consuming and expensive. Add food, medical care, stud fees, vaccinations, worming, medical certifications, and other costs and the cost becomes staggering!

The average buyer today is more educated. He/she knows the importance of obtaining animals from responsible breeders and knows the hazards and pitfalls of getting animals from irresponsible breeders. Many irresponsible breeders are unable to sell the animals they have bred and find that even if they give the animals away it is difficult or impossible to find homes for them.

(5) I paid $___________ (any dollar amount) for my pet and want to get another one for myself or someone else without having to pay for it. You will pay whether or not you realize it. The cost of irresponsible breeding is greater than you know. Often, the number of animals killed in shelters is used as justification for mandatory spay/neuter laws. Such laws grossly inflate the price of pet quality animals, meaning that, at some point, you may be unable to afford to buy or to  breed an animal. The fee for a single breeding can be as high as $600 - such laws are already in effect in parts of our Country. In addition, laws prohibiting animal ownership entirely have been proposed.

The "stud fee" for any animal worth breeding your animal to is as much or more than the cost of another animal - and you don't have to deal with the "extras."

Still more on Spaying and Neutering at: http://www.geocities.com/~amazondoc/ETDR/health/spayinfo.html