February is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, 4 million cats and dogs—about one every eight seconds—are put down in U.S. animal shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets.
Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them. Many cats and dogs that die as a result of pet overpopulation could have made wonderful pets. A solution is possible and starts with each pet owner, taking one small step in getting their pets spayed or neutered.
Many pet owners want to have their pets spayed or neutered, but they hesitate because of the cost. Low-cost spaying and neutering is available in this area at the Allegheny Spay & Neuter Clinic. The clinic is located at 1380 Shawville Hwy. in Woodland. The clinic is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. It is open for referrals from animal rescue groups, as well as the general public for the low-cost spaying and neutering of cats and dogs.
Other services offered at the Allegheny Spay & Neuter Clinic include Frontline Flea & Tick medication, micro-chip lost animal protection, Clearfield County Dog License, Rabies Vaccines, Lyme and Distemper Vaccines and many others.
Spaying and neutering a pet has many benefits. Whether a pet owner has recently adopted a pet or they’re considering it, one of the most important health decisions they’ll make is to spay or neuter their cat or dog. Spaying—removing the ovaries and uterus of a female pet—is a veterinary procedure that offers lifelong health benefits. Neutering—removing the testicles of a male dog or cat—will vastly improve a pet’s behavior and keep him close to home.
According to the ASPCA, here are the “Top 10 Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet:”
Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life.
Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, which is fatal in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
Neutering provides major health benefits for your male.
Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.
Your spayed female won’t go into heat.
While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they’ll yowl and urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house.
Your male dog won’t want to roam away from home.
An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate. That includes digging his way under the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.
Your neutered male will be much better behaved.
Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.
Spaying or neutering will not make your pet fat.
Don’t use that old excuse. Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.
It is highly cost-effective.
The cost of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. It also beats the cost of treatment when your unneutered tom escapes and gets into fights with the neighborhood stray.
Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community.
Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children. Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets.
Your pet doesn’t need to have a litter for your children to learn about the miracle of birth.
Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is not a good lesson for your children—especially when so many unwanted animals end up in shelters. There are tons of books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a more responsible way.
Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation.
Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering. To help stop pet overpopulation further, consider adopting your next pet from an animal shelter.
Free dog and cat food is also available at the clinic to individuals in need. The donated food is distributed through local food banks. The AWC makes the dog and cat food available to support individuals and pet owners who are trying to make ends meet while taking good care of their pets. The Allegheny Spay & Neuter Clinic is operated by the Animal Welfare Council (AWC). The AWC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization formed in 2006 by a group of individuals who share concern and passion for animals in the community and strive to fulfill the needs of local animals and their owners.
For more information about the Allegheny Spay & Neuter Clinic, contact the clinic at 814-857-5280, and for free pet food or the AWC, contact the AWC at 814-857-5282.
