What Are the Benefits of Neutering?

According to the Humane Society, 3 million homeless dogs and cats are euthanized at shelters each year. This is a sobering statistic and it relates to the primary benefit of neutering your animal. Ensuring that a family pet does not continue to breed means fewer puppies or kittens may eventually end up homeless or in a shelter. Other benefits include maintaining the health and well-being of your animal as well as lessening the financial burden on your family and community.

  1. Definition of Neutering

    • Neutering is a surgical procedure, performed under anesthesia, that removes the testicles of a male animal, prohibiting him from impregnating a female animal. The animal will not feel any pain from the surgery, and will only experience discomfort for a few days afterward. The procedure can be performed on kittens and puppies as young as 8 weeks old, and veterinarians suggest getting your animal neutered as early as possible. The financial cost of neutering will depend on the age, health and size of your animal. Older animals may require a longer hospital stay, while younger, healthier animals may go home after a few hours. Many communities have humane societies or shelters that offer low-cost or subsidized programs to help families in need pay for neutering.

    Health Benefits for Neutered Animals

    • Neutered animals live longer, healthier and more content lives. Animals who are neutered no longer have a natural instinct to procreate, and are less likely to stray, get into fights, become lost or get hit by cars as they search out a prospective mate. They are also less restless, providing more docile companions for your family. The Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) cites that dogs are three times less likely to bite if they are neutered.

    Benefits for the Community

    • By not neutering your animal, you may have to suddenly find homes for a surprise litter of puppies or kittens. Sometimes people will adopt these animals with the best of intentions, but then find they can't care for them after all. Sadly, some of these animals end up homeless and find themselves roaming the streets. These animals can be a nuisance to communities by rummaging through garbage cans and becoming aggressive toward housed pets. They can also carry diseases that can infect pets, and they are more likely to attack humans. Neutering your pet lowers the chances that more homeless animals will have to live on the streets.

    Financial Benefits

    • Every year taxpayers must contribute to city funds to deal with homeless animals in the form of animal control offices and subsidies for neutering programs. If more people would have their animals neutered, taxpayers would no longer need to foot such a hefty bill for these services, and those funds could be used elsewhere. On the home financial front, if your pet is neutered, your family won't be stuck spending time and money caring for and housing an unwanted litter.

    Significance

    • Many people think they have several good friends and family members that would eagerly adopt a surprise litter of kittens. While that may be true, there would be fewer shelter animals needing homes if their family pet didn't have the kittens in the first place. According to PAWS, "if each of the eight great homes ready to welcome your pet's offspring would instead adopt from a shelter, they---and you---could provide loving homes for and potentially save the lives of eight deserving animals." By neutering your animal, you don't impact homeless animals already at shelters.