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SPAY/NEUTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS- Suwannee County
North Florida PAWS Spay/Neuter Clinic
Low Cost Spay/Neuter and Preventative Care Clinic located in Hamilton County,
Florida.
Clients welcome from neighboring counties and cities.
NO income or residency restrictions!!
Call (386)938-4092
Visit site for pricing, etc. www.northfloridapaws.org
Email northfloridapaws@windstream.net
North Florida PAWS Spay/Neuter Clinic
Low Cost Spay/Neuter and Preventative Care Clinic located in Hamilton County,
Florida.
Clients welcome from neighboring counties and cities.
NO income or residency restrictions!!
Call (386)938-4092
Visit site for pricing, etc. www.northfloridapaws.org
Email northfloridapaws@windstream.net
MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT SPAYING & NEUTERING:
MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too
much and don't give them enough exercise.
MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.
FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that
females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now
sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian
about the appropriate time for these procedures.
MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth—which is unlikely, since it usually
occurs at night and in seclusion—the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be
created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that
the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of
others.
MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.
FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around
the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and purebred.
MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to protect home and
family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex
hormones.
MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.
FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a
pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis
when neutered.
MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.
FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean her offspring will be a
carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can't
guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances
are even slimmer. In fact, an entire litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet's
(and her mate's) worst characteristics.
MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet,
your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price,
spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost—a relatively small cost when compared to all
the benefits. It's a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health
of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is
weaned can add up to significant veterinary bills and food costs if complications develop.
Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the
prevention of the births of more unwanted pets.
MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter. But each home you find means one
less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good homes. Also, in less than one
year's time, each of your pet's offspring may have his or her own litter, adding even more
animals to the population. The problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated
one litter at a time.
Above Article/Information obtained from www.hsus.org
MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too
much and don't give them enough exercise.
MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.
FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that
females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now
sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian
about the appropriate time for these procedures.
MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth—which is unlikely, since it usually
occurs at night and in seclusion—the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be
created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that
the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of
others.
MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.
FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around
the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and purebred.
MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to protect home and
family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex
hormones.
MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.
FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a
pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis
when neutered.
MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.
FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean her offspring will be a
carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can't
guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances
are even slimmer. In fact, an entire litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet's
(and her mate's) worst characteristics.
MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet,
your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price,
spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost—a relatively small cost when compared to all
the benefits. It's a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health
of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is
weaned can add up to significant veterinary bills and food costs if complications develop.
Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the
prevention of the births of more unwanted pets.
MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter. But each home you find means one
less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good homes. Also, in less than one
year's time, each of your pet's offspring may have his or her own litter, adding even more
animals to the population. The problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated
one litter at a time.
Above Article/Information obtained from www.hsus.org