This procedure helps your pet live a longer, happier, and healthier life; provides significant cost-savings throughout the lifetime of your pet; and prevents unwanted and homeless litters.
LICENSE LAW:
In Fayette County, a dog or cat over 6 months of age that has not been spayed or neutered requires a $40 unaltered pet license every year ($$)
An altered (spayed/neutered) pet license is only $8 every year
Not having a license could result in a citation and fine ($$)
HEALTH:
Spay or neuter surgery prevents reproductive cancers and diseases
Females are subject to mammary cancer, pyometra, other reproductive cancerous tumors, etc.
Males are subject to testicular cancer, prostate cancer, etc.
Medical care for highly preventable reproductive cancers and diseases is difficult, heartbreaking, and expensive ($$)
Animals live on average 2-3 years longer when spayed/neutered
BEHAVIOR:
Spay/neuter helps with hormone-related nuisance behavior and aggression towards other animals and/or people
Nuisance behavior could result in citation/fines and even court proceedings ($$)
Aggression can result in injury to your pet, other animals, or people, which could result in a civil lawsuit and legal/medical fees ($$)
Surgery helps prevent or stop territorial urination/marking
Surgery helps prevent roaming
Males can smell the scent of a female in estrus up to a few MILES away
Roaming increases the chance of being impounded, hit by a car, and/or injured in numerous other ways—all of which could be expensive outcomes ($$)
OUT-OF-POCKET COST:
If your pet has been impounded with Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control, your pet reclaim fee is greatly reduced by selecting the “spay/neuter reclaim option”
It’s your choice: 1) $0-$50 for a high-quality surgery through the Lexington Humane Society’s Spay’sTheWay program prior to reclaiming your pet, OR 2) $200-$1,000 through a private veterinarian at a later time ($$)
If you live in Fayette County and have a pet at home in need of low-cost spay/neuter assistance, call Spay’sTheWay at (859) 233-0044 x228 or fill out the online appointment request
MORE REASONS:
No more messy heat cycles for female animals post-spay surgery
Each heat cycle increases the chance of reproductive diseases
Accidental litters happen!
“Babies can have babies”—kittens can reach sexual maturity at 5 months of age and puppies can reach sexual maturity at 6 months of age
Once sexually mature, animals will breed with a sibling or a parent animal
Any unaltered female and male combination will likely result in pregnancy with potential genetic problems due to inbreeding
Senior animals reproduce too; serious pregnancy complications can occur with senior moms
Litters are expensive and time-consuming
Some females require a costly, emergency C-section surgery to safely deliver babies ($$)
Nursing mothers require more food ($$)
Puppies and kittens need to stay with mom for at least 5-6 weeks and will require special food, vaccines, worming, and other care ($$)