“But I want him to have all the joys of life!”, “She would be depressed if she can’t have kids of her own.” and “They found each other and fell in love.” are some of the most common and irresponsible responses we get when we ask people why their pet dogs or neighbourhood streeties have not been sterilized. Spaying or neutering your dogs benefits not only the rest of the stray dogs and humans around but also your dogs too, by greatly reducing their risk of developing various diseases. While we understand that the thought of your furry one undergoing a surgery can be scary for you, the high probability of illnesses, struggle and pain that your dog would have to endure, if not sterilized, are scarier and extremely worrying. This post aims to debunk some myths surrounding sterilization and provides you with indisputable reasons as to why it is crucial and our best hope towards harmony.

Myth #1

“By spaying my female dog, I deprive her of her right to motherhood and its joys.” 

Dogs do not have a concept of sexual identity and spaying actually calms your dogs down since they don’t go into heat. The absence of hormonal changes streamlines her behaviour and reduces her tendency to get aggressive at other dogs. In short, spaying calms them down and makes them happier.

Myth #2

“Spaying or neutering is only for stray dogs and not for “pure-bred” dogs.

Sterilization is for all dogs, male or female, stray or pet, indie or any other breed. By spaying or neutering your pet, you are prioritising his or her health by pre-empting problems like certain types of cancers and infections that can occur later on in their lives. So even if your dog isn’t a rescue, sterilization greatly increases their chances of a happy and healthy life.

Myth #3

“My dog will become less of a male and might not be a protective pet.”

Again, neutering neither affects the basic personality of a dog, nor does it make him less or more protective of his humans. Neutering removes his hormonal need to roam and find a mate, thus reducing his risk of getting lost. It also calms him down, making him less aggressive and less prone to behavioural issues.

Myth #4

“Sterilization is expensive.”

There are many affordable options available that you can learn of from your nearest Animal Birth Control Center. Many government-designated ABC centres like The Humane Animal Society in Coimbatore, India offer easily affordable surgery options if your pet is adopted or a rescue.

Now that some of the most popular myths surrounding sterilization have been debunked, let us move on to some very compelling reasons as to why you should get your furry one sterilized.

Reason #1

Your dogs can live a longer, healthier life due to the medical benefits of sterilization.

Studies show that spaying reduces risk of breast tumors and fatal uterine infections by about 50% and helps prevent testicular and prostate cancers in male dogs, thus helping them lead longer, healthier and happier lives. While you may have to pay for your pet or streetie to be sterilized, you are indeed saving yourself from a mountain of medical bills that might arise from health issues later on, if left intact. Your loved one stays with you for longer and it is also easier on your wallets. Win-win.

Reason #2

Sterilized dogs are better-behaved.

The absence of hormonal changes makes them less aggressive towards other dogs and humans and also curbs the urge of male dogs to break out of the house or roam in search of a mate, decreasing their chances or getting lost or injured. One of the reasons dogs chase vehicles on the road is they pick up the scent of another dog’s urine and feel the need to exert dominance over their territory. Neutered dogs rarely tend to urinate to mark their territories which leads to fewer accidents on the road caused by dogs chasing vehicles. 

Spayed females never go into heat which directly implies zero bleeding and less crankiness. Spaying eliminates all the worries that people tend to have while adopting a female dog and ensures as hassle-free and love-filled a life as having a male dog will give you. Adding to this, it also frees you of having to prevent any accidental pregnancies - they can be a pain and a lot of unexpected responsibility in the dog world as well as ours. :P

Reason #3

It helps fight overpopulation and stop the vicious cycle of breeding that happens in puppy mills.

By spaying or neutering your dog, you are responsibly contributing towards keeping more dogs off the streets. Dogs reproduce 15 times as fast as humans and sterilization ensures that no poor pups are left abandoned on the streets because of accidental pregnancies. Thus, we make more homes available for puppies and dogs to be adopted into and the more we lean towards #AdoptDon’tShop and sterilization, the lesser number of dogs suffer in puppy mills at the hands of unethical breeders.

Reason #4

It increases harmony between stray dogs and humans.

By decreasing the number of dogs on the street and increasing sterilization rates, the streeties are calmer and create less of a ruckus in the society, making people less averse towards stray dogs. Sterilization is one of the most promising ways to envision a stray-free country where people and dogs live in harmony.

We believe these are enough reasons to get your pet or streetie spayed or neutered and the procedure itself isn’t a risky one at all. But there also happen to be a few scenarios where sterilization may not be advisable in cases where the dog is too weak or old to undergo any surgery or has other ailments. It is always recommended that you discuss sterilization with your dog’s vet to ensure it poses no harm to his or her health. The general age at which dogs are advised to be sterilized is between six to nine months, although it can vary between breeds. 

If you are a pet parent or a care-giver to your neighbourhood streeties, we urge you to take sterilization as seriously as getting your dogs vaccinated as it has immense benefits not just for your furries, but undoubtedly, for surrounding dogs and us humans, as well. Sterilize your streeties and pets and proudly be #TeamSpayedNotLaid!