The June 2008 statistics showed that 1,216 of the 1,734 dogs and cats taken in to the Humane Society of South Mississippi from Coast animal control officers were put to sleep. This was alarming, not only from the gross total handled by the facility, but the low adoption rate that month of only 30 percent.

Still, over half were put to sleep over the course of the first six months of 2008.

Why? Simply stated, the greatest reason was an excessive population of unwanted pets.

So why do many pet owners choose not to spay or neuter their pets? Answers vary, but I've heard many. I'll address the four most common ones I've heard over the last 25 years:

1. I want to breed him/her. Before I let pet owners leave my exam room after such a statement, I always ask, are you sure you're ready for all the things that go along with breeding pets?

Are you ready to deal with the intact male who wanders away from home and may get into dogfights, traffic or even shot at by a person (yes, it happens) who is shooing an unwanted dog or cat off their premises?

Are you ready for the heat cycles and unwanted male attractions that plague the females involved? Are you ready for the possibility of an unscheduled/unwarranted breeding by the wrong male? Are you ready for the expensive result of a possible caesarean section if natural delivery is not possible?

2. I can't afford it. Most veterinarians in our market strive to keep spays and neuters affordable, especially when compared to their prices on nonelective surgical procedures. Yet, even if pet owners cannot afford to pay their local veterinarian for the spay/neuter procedures, there are cost-reducing options.

The Humane Society of South Mississippi operates a low-cost spay neuter clinic in Gulfport, and also performs these procedures on their adopted pets before they are adopted into homes. Other programs, including the Mississippi Spay and Neuter Alliance, Spay USA and other local cooperative programs assist with costs for pet owners who need assistance. The main thing pet owners need to do is to ask their veterinarians about this need if cost is an obstacle.

3. I don't have time. If that's the case, do you really have time for pet ownership in the first place? It takes one day of dedication to the principle of the spay/neuter procedure, and perhaps a 10-day healing period afterward.

Throughout a 12-15 year period of a pet life span, this begs the question on whether the same pet owner with this objection would have time to medicate for an intestinal or respiratory infection, boost vaccinations against life-threatening diseases like parvovirus and distemper, or opt for a surgical removal of a cancerous mass. Pet ownership demands a commitment of time for medical and surgical needs throughout life.

4. I'll get around to it later. It's human nature to sometimes procrastinate on something that takes a little effort and initiative, and spaying and neutering pets is no exception. In males, this often times leads to aggressive temperaments that may have been moderated had a neuter been performed earlier.

In females, perhaps a pyometra (infected uterus) or perhaps breast cancer may have been avoided later in life had spaying been performed early in life.

I know that I may be "preaching to the choir" to many educated pet owners on the Coast. However, if the reality of either the Sun Herald editorial or today's column reaches just a few more pet owners, a goal has been accomplished.

Dr. Chris Duke is a veterinarian at Bienville Animal Medical Center in Ocean Springs. Write to South Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, 20005 Pineville Road, Long Beach MS 39560 and include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Source: SunHeral