Show your fur babies some love this February
February 1–28 is Spay/ Neuter Awareness month and the perfect time to show your four-legged friends some love and have them spayed/ neutered.
February is not only the month of love for humans, it is also known as Responsible Pet Owner Month and Spay/ Neuter Awareness Month.
Spay/ Neuter Awareness Month runs from February 1–28 with the last Tuesday of the month being World Spay Day, a day that celebrates the importance of animal birth control and encourages all guardians of dogs and cats to have them spayed or neutered.
Mandi Cattanach, the Roodepoort/ Krugersdorp SPCA manager, said, “Every year we receive hundreds of unwanted puppies and kittens, and thousands of animals are euthanised annually in animal welfare organisations throughout South Africa. Through sterilisation, you are helping your pet to have a healthier life.”
She listed some of the benefits of spaying/ neutering your pet:
• Spaying and neutering reduces, or can even eliminate, several health problems that are difficult and/or expensive to treat
• Sterilisation may also help to reduce certain undesirable behaviours in your pet
• It also prevents unnecessary breeding and reduces the number of unwanted animals
• By neutering your male animals you help prevent testicular cancer and prostrate problems
• Spaying a female animal will help prevent them from becoming infected with sexually transmitted diseases or pyometra (pus in the womb)
She added that, besides all of the health, and other benefits of spaying/ neutering your pet, it is the responsible thing to do.
“Staff at SPCAs suffer from PTS due to having to euthanise animals. It is a myth and archaic thinking that pets must have a first litter before they are spayed/neutered.”
Looking after your pet’s health will be the ultimate gift of love, so, boot up that computer or laptop, search for a spay/ neuter day near you, and make an appointment today. Your pets will thank you.
Until next week, stay safe and look out for each other …
