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the problem
Animal shelters and rescue organizations in Syracuse and Onondaga County are almost always full, yet they receive hundreds of calls every day from people who have found lost or abandoned animals, or who have to give up a pet. With no space in shelters, many people simply abandon their pets to the starvation, exposure, and cruelty of the streets. Unfortunately, 85% of these abandoned pets are also not spayed or neutered, and they reproduce at an alarming rate.
One pair of cats can produce a dozen or more kittens in a year, and those kittens can start to reproduce at only five or six months of age. By the end of a single year, one cat can turn into dozens. We simply can’t keep up, let alone solve the problem. Or can we?
The Solution
There are communities throughout the United States who have solved the overpopulation problem, or are well on their way toward that goal. The Humane Alliance, in Asheville, NC has reduced the number of animals being euthanized in their shelters by 60%. The entire state of New Hampshire has seen the same drop in shelter admissions. North Shore Animal League on Long Island is actually importing animals from other areas so that there will be enough to adopt in their area. All of these programs have one thing in common. They rely on low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter program that are targeted to the pets of low-income people.
Neutering by the Numbers
Studies have shown that the same percentage of people want to spay or neuter their pets regardless of income, but while 80% of the pets belonging to middle and upper income families are already sterilized, only 20% of those belonging to persons of low-income are sterilized. Furthermore, if we can spay or neuter only 70% of the animals in a given neighborhood, town, or city, the population will stabilize and remain stable for years to come
Why Spay or Neuter?
Sterilized pets live longer, healthier lives. Sterilized pets make better, more affectionate companions, and are less likely to roam or fight. Sterilized cats are less likely to spray and mark territory. Unsterilized animals exhibit more behavior problems and may be more likely to bite. Females in heat often cry incessantly and attract unwanted males Sterilization reduces pet overpopulation and the number of unwanted animals killed in and out of our shelters.
Did you Know?...
...that puppies and kittens as young as eight weeks of age can be spayed or neutered safely? Studies over many years have shown no serious side effects to spaying or neutering young animals. In fact they tend to recover faster and appear to feel less discomfort than adult cats and dogs. So don’t wait. Your pet can start reproducing at only five or six months of age!
Home > Identifying The Problem
