It’s spay/neuter awareness month, and the vets at East Valley Animal Hospital want to take this opportunity to remind you that pet overpopulation is a very real problem. Sadly, thousands of unadopted pets die every year because shelters do not have the space or resources to keep them. You can do your part to prevent pet overpopulation by getting your pet spayed or neutered.

What Effects Do Spaying and Neutering Have on Pets?

One of the most common concerns people express about spaying and neutering is whether or not it will change their pet’s personality. The behavioral effects of neutering or spaying cats and dogs are usually very minimal, especially if the operation is performed when your pet is still young. It won’t alter their affection or playfulness in any way—spaying or neutering will not change a pet’s personality. 

In fact, spaying and neutering can prolong a pet’s lifetime. For example, pets who are neutered are unlikely to roam in search of a mate, so there’s less of a chance that they’ll get lost or hit by a car or attacked by a wild animal. Spaying and neutering also completely eliminates the risk of cancers and diseases that affect the reproductive organs.

Preventing Pet Overpopulation in Arizona

Shelters typically spay and neuter all pets at 6-8 weeks of age. Ideally, most pets should be spayed or neutered before they are five months old, in order to prevent pet overpopulation. Arizona shelters are working hard to reduce the number of unadopted pets—in 2021, Maricopa County Animal Care and Control had a 96.7% save rate for the 18,000 pets that entered their shelter that year.

The main effect of spaying and neutering cats and dogs is keeping pets out of shelters. If you want to help ensure that every pet finds a fur-ever home, please consider getting your pet spayed or neutered. The compassionate vets at East Valley Animal Hospital would be glad to answer any questions you have about the procedure and whether or not spaying or neutering can change a pet’s personality. You can request an appointment online or by calling 480-892-1577.

Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 2/19/2022.