February may be National Spay/Neuter Month, but really, every day of every month should be dedicated to raising awareness about the importance and benefits of spaying/neutering. For one, shelters everywhere across California and the U.S. are full. Out of the 6.5 million cats and dogs that end up in shelters each year, half of these pets are euthanized due to lack of space or rehoming opportunities. Spaying/neutering is vital to controlling overpopulation and saving lives. It is also essential when it comes to preventing pet disease and improving the quality of life for pets and their families.
A spay/neuter surgery can greatly reduce a pet’s risk of getting cancer and other serious health issues as the dog or cat ages. It can also prevent or improve many unwanted behaviors, such as excessive marking, cat screaming and the pets’ urge to escape. Learn more about the benefits, myths and facts here.
Additionally, spaying/neutering reduces financial pressures on the community, including taxpayers and local agencies, as the sheltering of abandoned pets costs millions of dollars annually.
“If we’re ever going to solve the pet overpopulation problem we’re facing, locally and everywhere around us, we have to ensure families have access to affordable spay/neuter surgeries,” says Isabelle Gullo, executive director and cofounder of C.A.R.E.4Paws, a Central Coast nonprofit that provides low-cost veterinary care in its two mobile clinics. “We also have to change mentalities around spaying/neutering and get the whole community behind us. Because if families keep breeding pets and having accidental litters at this rate, our shelters will remain full, animals will continue to suffer and more dogs and cats will be euthanized due to lack of space.”
If you cannot afford the spay/neuter surgery at your pet’s regular veterinarian, C.A.R.E.4Paws provides free and low-cost options.
Our humane society partners also provide affordable care on the Central Coast: