News About Spaying and Neutering

Some important statistics about spaying and neutering In this country we spend a minimum of one billion dollars annually to pick-up, house and destroy companion animals.  If only 5% of that one billion were allocated to spay/neuter, we could open 250 clinics across the nation and sterilize more than 4 million companion animals each year.  This necessary next step would end euthanasia as the current solution to the pet overpopulation dilemma.   In the 1970's there were 62 million owned dogs/cats in US.  Today there are 142.6 million owned dogs/cats in US - (77.6 million cats and 65 million dogs).  That's an increase of 130%.  Euthanasia in 1973 was 13.5 million which is 22% of owned population; today 3 - 4 million which is less than 3% of owned pets.  If we were still euthanizing today like in the 1970's, we'd be killing more than 30 million animals per year.   According to the Animal Population Control Study Commission, Minnesota Legislature, 1989, for every dollar invested in municipally operated spay/neuter clinics, taxpayers will save $18.72 in future animal control costs over a ten-year period.   In Charlotte NC the number of dogs and cats euthanized in 1980 after a spay/neuter clinic opened dropped 40% from 7,814 to 4,658.  The city also saved 39% overall in animal control costs.   In New Hampshire: During the first seven years after our neutering programs began, 37,210 fewer cats and dogs entered New Hampshire shelters than in the seven years before that.  At an average cost of $105 to impound and shelter each animal, the impoundment savings alone totaled $3,907,050.  To achieve this, the programs have spent only $1,236,817.  So every dollar spent on the programs its first seven years has saved $3.15 in reduced impoundment costs so far.     Additional information can be found at: http://www.firepaw.org/wpsnprofile.html   http://www.humanealliance.org/HA/Statistics.html http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/weeklyforum/biopmarsh.cfm http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/NH_Summary.pdf?docID=5521   To Fix or Not to Fix? Besides not wanting puppies, are you looking for reasons to spay or neuter your dog? There are plenty. Surgical removal of your dog's reproductive organs or glands can be done as early as 4 months of age. As a result, in addition to completely avoiding testicular or uterine infections and cancers, your dog is likely to: * Be more affectionate and less inclined to wander off * Have a reduced risk of accidental injuries, contagious diseases, prostate problems (if a male), and breast tumors (if a female). Other reasons: You'll save on vet bills, and the cost of licensing your pet.   Read about the Asilomar Accords - they are perfectly in line with UWAG's mission of community coordination In August of 2004, leaders of a number of national animal welfare groups convened for the purpose of building bridges across varying philosophies, developing relationships and creating goals focused on significantly reducing the euthanasia of healthy and treatable companion animals in the United States. The result was the Asilomar Accords which in their own words, "encourage the creation of local 'community coalitions' consisting of a variety of organizations (e.g., governmental animal control agencies, nonprofit shelters, grassroots foster care providers, feral cat groups, funders and veterinary associations) for the purpose of saving the lives of healthy and treatable animals. We are committed to the belief that no one organization or type of organization can achieve this goal alone, that we need one another, and that the only true solution is to work together. We need to find common ground, put aside our differences and work collaboratively to reach the ultimate goal of ending the euthanasia of healthy and treatable companion animals." This is precisely what UWAG was established to do. We've worked with community representatives to create our animal welfare curriculum for use in the public elementary schools, we've participated in a community wide legislative initiatives group to revise existing animal welfare legislation and create new legislation and we are currently working with Animal Services of Miami-Dade County and other organizations to implement a wide spread spay/neuter initiative and devise ways to maximize our ability to meet the community needs in this area and reduce the number of abandoned and abused companion animals. For more information on the Asilomar Accords please go to www.asilomaraccords.org. For more information on UWAG's efforts, please browse through our site and feel free to contact us with any questions you have or ideas you have to further our collective efforts. Thank you!   Spay/neuter license plates are now available in Florida - get yours today by going to the following web site: http://www.floridaanimalfriend.com/PurchasePlate.asp It is easy to purchase your new animal-friendly license plate and proceeds from sales of the license plates will be used to fund spay/neuter programs in Florida. The link above has a sample of the plate along with instructions to either renew or replace your license plate. All applicable fees are listed on the site and there is a listing, by county, of the locations to visit or call for additional information. This spay/neuter license plate will help raise awareness across the state of Florida and beyond about the importance of spaying and neutering our companion animals and will enable the state to make grants to organizations that promote spay/neuter programs. Make this a gift to yourself and help save a life by helping to reduce the number of abandoned and unwanted animals that end up on our streets. Buy yours today!   Need information on free spaying and neutering?  Visit this site:   http://animals.miamidade.gov/mac.asp   Rhode Island Says Spay It or Pay It Fine of $75 a month could be levied on owners who don't fix cats Friday, June 9, 2006; Posted: 11:08 p.m. EDT (03:08 GMT) PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) -- Gov. Don Carcieri signed a law Friday making Rhode Island the first state to require cat owners to spay or neuter their pets. Cat owners must spay or neuter pets older than six months unless they pay $100 for a breeder's license. Violators can be fined $75 per month. "By signing this legislation today, we are taking the necessary steps to reduce the number of impounded cats that are euthanized in cities and towns throughout the state," Carcieri said in a written statement. The law would also save money by cutting down on housing and feeding costs at city shelters, he added. Private shelters and municipal pounds in Rhode Island killed about 1,600 strays in 2004, the most current figure available, according to the state Department of Environmental Management. Some animal-rights advocates worried that the bill could lead cat owners to abandon their pets rather than risk a fine or pay for the procedures. Under the law, low-income pet owners would be eligible for subsidies for low-cost surgery. Farmers are exempt. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.