MYTH: Spay/neuter operations are expensive.

FACT: The cost of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is far less than the cost of having and caring for a litter! Plus, and many organizations offer free or low-cost spay/neuter services for pet owners.

MYTH: Spaying and neutering is unhealthy for pets.

FACT: Just the opposite! Neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. Spay/neuter will help your pet live a longer, healthier life.

MYTH: Neutering will make my pet feel like less of a male.

FACT: Pets do not have any concept of ego or sexual identity, and neutering won’t change that. What might change, however, is that your male dog will be less likely to roam away from home! An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate, including finding creative ways to escape from the house. Once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other male animals.

MYTH: My female pet will enjoy having one litter before spaying.

FACT: Medical evidence has shown that a dog who is spayed before her first heat cycle is typically healthier than dogs spayed after the first heat cycle or after having a litter of puppies. Most animal shelters and adoption facilities, as well as many veterinarians, now spay female dogs before the first heat cycle. This significantly reduces the risk of mammary tumors.