How does spaying and neutering help fight animal cruelty?
The ASPCA believes that spaying or neutering your pet is single most important thing you can do to help prevent animal cruelty and the unnecessary deaths of adoptable cats and dogs. Each year, approximately four million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters across the country—that’s about one animal every eight seconds. These high numbers are not just the offspring of stray animals, but the puppies and kittens of beloved companion animals. The homeless animals that don’t make it into the shelter system are often left on the streets to fend for themselves and are at high risk for disease, predation, being struck by an automobile or abused at the hands of uncaring humans.
ASPCA Spay/Neuter Tour
This year, the ASPCA will add a sixth Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic to our fleet. The new state-of-the-art mobile veterinary clinic is set to hit several states as part of the ASPCA’s innovative Spay/Neuter Tour. The tour will train medical and animal welfare experts to build and manage their own low-cost spay/neuter programs.
“For over ten years, the ASPCA has provided low-cost and high quality spay/neuter surgeries for New York City’s resident cats and dogs, having grown from just two mobile clinics,” says Ed Sayres, ASPCA President & CEO. “We look forward to expanding our reach outside New York City and help other communities provide positive impacts for their animal companions.”
In order to participate in the ASPCA’s Spay/Neuter Tour, communities must meet pre-determined criteria and submit an application emphasizing their goals and commitment to long-term results. If selected, they will be invited to train with specially selected Spay/Neuter Tour staff. The ASPCA will also provide on-going assistance to ensure that these communities can sustain their spay/neuter goals and decrease shelter intake. This will closely mimic the efforts of the Humane Alliance in Asheville, NC—the foremost training center for organizations wishing to establish low-cost/high quality, brick-and-mortar spay/neuter facilities. The ASPCA will be working with Humane Alliance to determine the locations most in need of assistance.
In 2009, the ASPCA spayed or neutered more than 31,000 cats and dogs in New York City’s five boroughs alone—dramatically decreasing the number of unwanted animals entering New York City shelters.
“This tour will help more communities experience the kind of success we have seen here in New York City,” says Sayres. “By sharing our effective methods and working collaboratively, we hope to help decrease euthanasia rates and pet overpopulation.”
Pediatric Spay/Neuter Education
PetSmart Charities and the Humane Alliance have teamed up to create a new educational video for veterinarians and animal welfare professionals, demonstrating how to perform spay/neuter surgeries on young puppies and kittens. Spaying and neutering animals prior to sexual maturity prevents unwanted litters and reduces the number of pets who face euthanasia in overcrowded shelters. This video—the first in a series—was filmed at the Humane Alliance’s state-of-the-art surgical training center in Asheville, NC, where more than 23,000 sterilization surgeries are performed annually.
WARNING: This video includes graphic images of medical procedures performed on cats and dogs.
For more information about the importance of spaying or neutering your pet, please see our Spay/Neuter Facts.