• Eliminate spotting during the heat period
• Eliminate the annoying pacing and crying of female cats in heat
• Eliminate the attraction of persistent males looking for a mate
• Eliminate the complications associated with mating, pregnancy and birth
• Almost completely eliminate the risk of a life-threatening infection of the uterus called pyometra, which requires emergency surgery
• Greatly reduce the risk of breast cancer, especially if she is spayed before her first heat
• Completely eliminate the risk of uterine or ovarian cancer and provide several other health benefits
• Reduce sexual frustration and stress

• Reduce or eliminate irritability
• Reduce or eliminate annoying behavior like urine marking, spraying and mounting
• Reduce the tendency for him to escape and roam in search of a mate, and the risk for injury that could occur
• Reduce fighting with other males
• Greatly reduce the risk of prostate infections in male dogs and feline AIDS (feline immunodeficiency virus or FIV) in male cats
• Eliminate the risk of testicular cancer
• Provide other heath benefits, like reduced risk of benign perianal tumors
• Reduce sexual frustration and stress

• Preventing pets from having litters is unnatural.
  We've already interfered with nature by domesticating dogs and cats. Killing (euthanizing) excess animals is unnatural.
• I can find homes for all the puppies or kittens of my female pet.
  Finding good homes is not easy. Simply finding a home does not guarantee a "good" home. Each year, 25 percent of all purebred pets are surrendered to shelters. There are already too many pets and not enough homes. We must correct this rather than add to the problem.
• I want my children to see the miracle of birth.
  The birthing process can often be traumatizing. A female in labor is often anxious, and may bite or snap. Kittens and puppies may become "stuck" in the birth canal, needing surgical intervention. Mothers may eat their newborn. Stillborn and deformed offspring are common. Video stores have videos of the miracle of birth. A better lesson to teach is how spay/neuter can reduce cat and dog overpopulation in animal shelters.
• We don't need to neuter males because they can't give birth.
  Don't forget it takes two. A high percent of animals hit by cars are unaltered male dogs and cats out looking for unaltered females. Neutering males has many health and behavior benefits, as mentioned above.
• My pet never leaves the yard.
  Gates can get left open and fences blow down. (*Licensing dogs and cats can help lost pets find their way home.)
• Neutering will make my pet fat and lazy.
  Too much food and too little exercise will make your pet fat and lazy. An altered pet will likely become more attentive to you and your family.
• Surgery is dangerous and expensive.
  There are risks involved with any surgical procedure, but they are minimal compared to the consequences of not spaying and neutering. Your pet will live longer, cost you less in veterinary bills, and be healthier if it is spayed/neutered. Many low-cost spay/neuter programs exist.
• A female should have a litter so she'll be a better pet.
  This is a common misconception, with no medical proof behind it. Females may even become more aggressive immediately after giving birth. Each heat cycle a female goes through will increase her risk for developing breast cancer. A non-spayed female is at risk for developing uterine infections -- very often a life-threatening problem that requires immediate surgery. The birthing process carries risks and potential complications.

Download a printable flier on the benefits of spaying and neutering here.