The how’s and why’s of pet sterilization
There is often debate and some confusion around the adoption process of animals at the SPCA.
Every branch of the SPCA operates differently and some are more strict than others.
At the Springs SPCA, they are strict on all animals being sterilised.
They do a property inspection before you can adopt a pet from them to check if the animals on your property are sterilised.
If your animals are not sterilised, they can help you get that done.
The animals they have up for adoption must all be sterilised before you can take them home.
The main reason they insist on sterilisation is for animal control.
This is to prevent unwanted litters of puppies or kittens being born, in the hopes that there will be fewer stray and unwanted animals.
This is the rule of the National Council of SPCA’s and should be followed by all branches.
If a male is very aggressive, sterilisation helps to calm that animal down as well.
“We are trying to put into practice that every SPCA branch has the same rules, but that takes some time,” says manager of the Springs branch Celeste Kleyn.
Celeste says the general age for puppies and kittens to be sterilised is 6 months for a female and 3 months for a male, but they can be sterilised from as early as 8 weeks.
“The reality is that a lot of people want the younger puppies and kittens. We get a lot of animals younger than 3 months so it is not fair to only take in ones older than 3 months, the little ones deserve a chance too ,” she says.
Celeste says there is no danger in sterilising a young animal as long as it is done properly.
Most vets do not agree with this method though.
“We take dogs and cats for sterilisation at about 6 months, we don’t do it younger than that. I think its more an overseas method but I know the SPCA does approve of it. As a vet, I refrain from taking animals younger than 6 months,” says Dr Jack Berg from Selpark vet clinic.
It was also rumoured that if you lose a dog and it gets taken to the SPCA, they won’t give your dog back to you until they are certain any other animals on your property are sterilised.
“That is not true. The confusion comes in because our policy is that if you do not claim your lost animal from our pound after 5 days, the animal is then technically ours and will be placed in the adoption section,” says Celeste.
If you then come to us on the seventh day and claim that is your dog, because it is after the 5 day period, you will have to follow the adoption procedures which states all animals on your premises must be sterilised before you can adopt.”
