Hello Health 4 Pets PR family!
Today marks World Spay Day. As we already know, the issue of animal overpopulation on the streets of Puerto Rico is a critical issue that we must not overlook.
In 1995, The Humane Society declared World Animal Spay/Neuter Day. The goal of this day is to raise community awareness about spay/neuter, not only to prevent animal abandonment and the resulting overpopulation of stray cats and dogs, but also to prevent diseases in our pets and contribute to good public health.
Animal sterilizations have always been surrounded by misconceptions, and today we want to emphasize the importance and debunk the myths that keep owners from sterilizing their pets. In many cases, these unsterilized pets are the ones that end up abandoned on the island's streets.
Why should I spay or neuter my pet?
According to studies and recommendations made by veterinarians, it is vitally important to spay and neuter our pets, preferably before the first heat, for the following reasons:
- Neutered pets tend to live longer.
- Helps prevent disease: In female dogs, we can prevent uterine infections (pyometra), breast cancer, and complications during childbirth that could lead to surgery. In male dogs, it prevents testicular cancer, which can worsen in 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. We also prevent them from escaping when a female dog is in heat, since when they escape, male dogs are more likely to fight with other dogs and even suffer hit-by-car accidents that result in emergency visits to the vet.
- Prevent animal overpopulation: By controlling animal overpopulation, we also help control multiple diseases in our pets. .
- It benefits the behavior of pets, especially during the mating season, and reduces aggressive behavior in males.
It is estimated that a high percentage of abandoned animals once had a home, and have subsequently been left to their fate for various reasons. The main cause of this situation is that people lack the financial resources necessary to keep a pet, so they decide to leave them on the streets.
In this World Animal Sterilization Day We invite the Health 4 Pets PR community to raise awareness and have their pets sterilized or, if they aren't, to keep them off the streets to prevent them from reproducing and these animals from suffering on the streets in the future. We also ask you to support rescue organizations and non-profit organizations, as these are the ones fighting the overpopulation of animals on our island every day. Let's be part of the solution and work together for the well-being of our pets.