World Spay Day 2024: 4 benefits of spaying or neutering your furry friend

World Spay Day is celebrated every year to promote the spaying and neutering of pets as a humane and effective measure to control pet overpopulation. Spaying or neutering your pet has a range of benefits beyond population control. It can help prevent certain kinds of cancer, control behavioural issues and help your pet lead a longer, happier and healthier life. World Spay Day was started as Spay Day USA, an annual event created by Doris Day and the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) in 1995 to bring attention to the problem of homeless pets across the country, and to promote spaying or neutering as a way to prevent pet overpopulation as well as save lives of animals. (Also read | National Walk Your Dog Day: Wonderful benefits of walking your dog every day)
“Spaying (for females) and neutering (for males) are common surgical procedures performed on pets to sterilize them, preventing them from reproducing. This contributes in controlling the pet and street dog population, promoting the health and well-being of individual animals, improving behaviour, and fostering responsible pet ownership. These procedures have positive effects on both the individual pets and the broader community,” says Dr. Piyush Patel, who lists several reasons why it is important for pet owners to spay or neuter their animals.
1. Population control: Overpopulation of street dogs is a significant issue in India. Around 70 million of street dogs live on the streets of India, and a large number of them struggles to get food, treatment and shelters. Local governments and AWOs are spending huge resources to control the overpopulation and human- dog conflicts in urban India. Spaying and neutering a pet dog help control the pet population by preventing unwanted litter. This, in turn, reduces the number of homeless animals and the strain on animal shelters.
2. Health benefits: Spaying and neutering can have health benefits for pets. For example, spaying a female before her first heat cycle significantly reduces the risk of mammary gland tumours and eliminates the risk of uterine infections and certain reproductive cancers. Neutering males can prevent testicular cancer and reduce the risk of prostate problems.
3. Promoting responsible pet ownership: Spaying and neutering are fundamental aspects of responsible pet ownership. It helps prevent unintentional breeding and ensures that owners are prepared to care for and provide homes for their pets. As per ABC rules, 2023, it is pet parents’ responsibility to sterilize and immunize their pets. Pet registration is often done at the local level, and the rules and procedures can vary from one place to another. Some municipalities may require pet owners to register their pets to ensure proper vaccination, health check-ups, and to maintain records of the pet population in the area. To find specific information about pet registration in your locality in India, you may need to check with your local municipal corporation, Veterinary department, or relevant authorities. They can provide details on any existing regulations, forms, fees, and the process to register your pet.
4. Reducing the burden on shelters and rescue providers: By preventing unplanned litter, spaying, and neutering reduce the number of animals that end up in shelters and saves lot of resources for rescue organizations and individuals. This, in turn, eases the burden on animal shelters and contributes to better welfare for animals in need.