Whatever the reason, the supply of cats and dogs in this country far exceeds the demand for them. People continue to drop off animals in rural areas thinking that someone will take them or that they can fend for themselves. But the tragic result for the animals is often cruel treatment, starvation, disease, freezing, highway death, procurement for research laboratories, bait for dog fights, and even more unregulated breeding. Animal control agencies and shelters receive approximately 13 million homeless animals annually. Presently there are just not enough homes for all of these pets.
Experts agree spaying and neutering is the only solution.
Altering does not make animals fat and lazy, harm their health or hurt their personalities. Spaying not only reduces the stress females endure during heat periods, but also eliminates the risk of uterine cancer and greatly reduces the chance of mammary cancer. Neutering makes males far less likely to roam or fight, and helps prevent testicular cancer. Shelter animals are most likely already altered. Have all pets spayed or neutered as early as possible.