If you have to get rid of your dog, for whatever reason, there's NO excuse to not get the dog spayed/neutered first. Think about how IRONIC it is to give away an unaltered animal - THAT animal doesn't even have a stable home, and you want to allow it to bring MORE animals into the world? Why? So they can die in shelters without ever feelign grass under their paws, a hug or a kiss from a loving owner, or sleeping in a warm, soft bed? All of this applies to the pet you are keeping, or the pet you are getting, too!! I hear a lot of excuses -
"I can't afford to get the got neutered/spayed, that's why I'm getting rid of it, because I just can't afford it!"
If this is the case, ask the new owner to pay for it! Drop the dog off at the clinic to get spayed/neutered, and have the NEW owner pick the dog up and pay for the procedure! Also, if you are low-income, there are a few places that offer vouchers for free spay/neuter! If your dog is a pit bull or mix, many places have reduced fee/free spay/neuter for them!
"I don't want to take away my dogs' manhood. I wouldn't like it if someone did that to me!"
You need counseling. People who won't neuter their dog because they don't want it to feel like less of a man are showing their insecurities with themselves through their dogs. Dogs have NO sense of pride for their manhood, and don't know the difference when it's gone. Neutered male dogs are less aggression, and less likely to wonder off looking for a female in heat.
"I don't need to spay my female because she doesn't come into contact with any male dogs."
And what happens when she's in heat and escapes out the front door? There's no way, aside from locking her in a crate the ENTIRE time she's in heat, to trully prevent her from coming into contact with an intact male. And trust me, if there IS an intact male within a few miles of your bitch in season, he'll be at your door shortly.
"My dog is so wonderful, I want a puppy just like her/him!"
Do you know what the dogs were like 4 generations back in your dogs' lineage? If not, then you trully don't know what you're getting in puppies. It's possible that the puppies will have only all the bad traits you don't like in your dog. These are PUPPIES, a combination of genes from two seperate DNA lines... NOT carbon copies! Are you exactly like your parent(s)? I didn't think so.
"I just want her to have one litter, I want my kids to see the miracle of birth, etc..."
If you REALLY want to raise a litter of puppies THAT bad, find a shelter that has a pregnant dog on death row, or a mum with new pups on death row. There is NO shortage of them! If you want your kids to watch an animal being born, buy the video!! Watch Animal Planet!! Check with local zoos to see if any of their animals will be giving birth soon!
So please, if you're giving away/selling/rehoming/getting/keeping a dog... get him/her neutered/spayed.
|
