What do you think about 'fixing' a pet?

Question

I do not believe in spaying & neutering because i think it is genital mutilation that was a form of torture used in concentration camps and slavery. I acknowledge the benefits of spaying and neutering: 1)prevention of abandoned offspring who may suffer abuse and may have to be euthanized, 2)the behavourial benefits and 3)health benefits. However, I think 1) can be solved by animal birth control, this may not exist but scientists can invent it, i know there is anti-mating spray that can be helpful but animal birth control is definately possible, people can keep animals of the same sex alone or keep animals of different sexes separately (if they insist of having a male and female) as a preventative measure as well. The behavourial benefits are really a benefit for us humans and i believe we can live without it, after all i do. Spaying and neutering can prevent cancer in animals, but i guess that may also work for humans, why don't we all spay & neuter ourselves? Spaying and neutering to prevent diseases & to prolong an animal's life is against nature but it's acceptable as treatment or if the animal has a genetic mutation that may cause a disease. In conclusion, i think animal activists who support spaying and neutering are hypocritical and superficial. People should stop taking the easy way out by spaying and neutering and should take more responsibiltiy to provide tlc for their loveable pets. I know the eradication of spaying and neutering may not be easy but it can be implemented, step by step, how can you resist your adorable pet?

Answer 1

i think it is not very nice

Answer 2

What you propose would be the exact same thing.
Do you know what birth control pills would do to an animals behavior?
Birth control pills work on the concept of fooling your body into thinking it's pregnant. That doesn't cause any great problem for you, because you can reason that you are not pregnant. An animal relies on what it's body tells it. Do you really think it would be fair to keep a dog always anticipating pups? Do you really think it would be fair to have her always preparing a nest for pups that will never come?
Plenty of people choose permanent birth control for themselves via tubal ligation and any other variety of surgeries.
The difference is the way our hormone balances work. A woman for instance is a lot more likely to suffer from depression, heart problems, and osteoporosis after a full hysterectomy. If she chooses to take hormone therapy, she may increase her risk for breast cancer while decreasing the other risks.
Think of the other benefits animals enjoy.. They don't watch TV, they wouldn't know anything about sex at all.. They have no sexual frustration when neutered. Compare that to an unaltered female cat yowling in heat when you know that breeding her would be detrimental.. Do you really think that's fair? To keep an animal and utterly frustrate one of their most innate urges, to continue their species?
When neutered or spayed, they no longer get those urges..
If I was a cat that would never be allowed to breed, I think I'd much prefer not to constantly have the urge..
Your pets must be very sexually frustrated.. How do you deal with the yowling and/or marking and escape attempts?

Answer 3

Omg.....you have WAY too much time and energy to spend on this. Spaying and neutering is so much better than allowing your pet to suffer needlessly. By not spaying a female, her risk of developing certain cancers skyrocket. My grandma never spayed her animals until she realized that every female pet she'd owned died of either breast cancer or some form of uterine cancer, and the vet told her it was because of the repeated hormone fluctuations that come with going in and out of heat and never being bred.
Not only that, if no one spayed their pet the world would have an even BIGGER problem with strays or abandoned animals.
I can resist forgoing a spay procedure for my animals because I know that any responsible pet owner wouldn't want their mutt dog or cat making lots of babies.
It may not be the most pleasant thing in the world but it's something that HAS to be done.
AND FURTHER MORE....comparing your "cause" to slavery, concentration camps and torture is absolutely the most stupid, ignorant thing I have EVER heard come out of ANYONE's head. Ok, you spayed your freaking dog, how the HELL does that compare with a HUMAN BEING living YEARS in a hellish concentration camp????? Get an F'ing life.

Answer 4

I think you need to read up more on genital mutilation from a reliable source. You really don't have a clear picture of what it is. There is no comparison to that and spaying or neutering.

I'll spay my pet if I want to. Hmm. That's something I never thought I'd say. LOL. I have had altered pets when I know it is best for them physically/behaviorally, don't want them to have offspring and pass on undesirable genes, they are going to someone who would not know how to bred well, or they have trouble giving birth. I keep my animals separate and only breed those who would improve my stock. I think that is fabulous birth control/management because it does not rely on just one method or reason. Things aren't alway black and white as you propose.

About humans now...have you ever spoken to a eunuch? How about a woman who has had a full hysterectomy? Ask them how they like it. Most likely it was done when they were sexually mature and was done to save their life. From talking with my older friends the only thing that makes it seem bearable is that they are alive. It could be worse, right?

God gave us charge of the animals on this earth. He commanded Adam to use them, care for them, and manage them. He didn't say spay them all or separate them so they cannot reproduce (he said just the opposite) but he also gave us the knowledge to spay/neuter for a reason. He wants us to use our heads and exercise our free agency.

Answer 5

It's interesting that you take an "animal first" perspective on this topic but completely ignore that fact that what you advocate is truly torture. Taking a healthy, mature animal with a fully functioning sex drive and separating it from potential mates indefinately is much worse than a simple and effective operation with so many benefits. A celibate male dog is in a constant state of tension with no relief in sight - causing aggression and other behavioural issues. Female dogs and cats will cycle constantly, resulting in increased levels of cancer and other potentially deadly health problems like pyometra. You are oversimplifying a complicated issue.

If you truly believe this, than you are being a hypocrite by keeping a companion animal at all. Cats and dogs as domestic in-house companions are not living in a natural state which is what you seem to advocate.

Get all the facts, think your position through. If you truly still believe that it is unethical to spay and neuter your pets, than perhaps you should rethink keeping a pet at all. Well meaning ignorance such as yours causes a great deal of harm.

Answer 6

I think that the benefits of spaying and neutering far outweigh the risks. It prevents pet overpopulation, for example, feral cats can be spayed/neutered and released back into the wild to live out their lives.
Some humans are spayed/neutered to prevent cancer. Have you ever heard of a hysterectomy?
People should stop taking the easy way out by letting their pets procreate and start taking responsibility by spaying and neutering.

Answer 7

I consider animal abuse and euthaniasia more concerntration-camp like than spaying and neutering. Spend a day in the shelter and watch litters of six week old kittens get euthanized and you might start feeling differently.

All the statistics gathered by every organization, both government and private indicate that you are just plain wrong.

You know it prevents death and disease. The behavioral benefits mean our pets get to do more social activities in society because they are more social and non-aggressive.

Read what you wrote again.

My adorable pet is adorable because I have done the right thing to make his life longer, healthier and more enjoyable.

Answer 8

Whoever does not spay or nueter there pet does not deserve a pet and is considered inhumane in every way. If you think they 3 days of pain isn't worth it, you have some serious issues. Nuetering eliminates the risk of
-Testicular cancer
-house soiling, urinating on furniture
-persistent barking or meowing
-urge of male dogs to "mount" people's legs
-spaying by tomcats and strong urine odor
increased tendency to roam
-aggression toward people and other animals
-attraction of males by females in "heat"

In females-

-Eliminates the problem and risks of pregnancy
-Eliminates the frequent problem of cancer and infection of the uterus later in life
-Decreases the possibility of mammary tumors

If you dont think it is a good idea to spay or neuter, thats fine, just dont own a pet. Your contributing to the animal overpopulation and its people like you who cause so many deaths.

If an un-spayed female is around, and an un-neutered male is within 5 miles, you got babies. Male dogs will do anything to get to the female. They sense females in heat for up to 5 miles.

Answer 9

I think people who apply "human" terms like "torture" and "genital mutilation" to animals are a little wacked. Do you think your dog is sitting there swearing at you becuse you "mutiliated her genitals". No. BEacuse they don't do that, and because spaying DOES NOT remove the genitals. Many human females have had the same surgery and gone on to lead a fullfilling sex life. You should have a clue before you spew this crap!!

Have you looked around at the questions on this site???? Do you think there is big hope for people taking more responsibility??????

Answer 10

there are way too many animals out in the streets these days, not to mention the dead ones, and the run aways...it is the best thing,even if u rnt going to leave ur pet, u might give it to someone who will. it only has the unborn babys best intrest in mind, i wouldnt want my bab's getting lost or run over in the street.

Answer 11

1. There is an over population of unwanted pets as it is. hundreds of thousands of dogs, cats and rabbits are euthanised each year.

Genital mutilation vs. mass genicide?

2. Especially in small animals... but any animal who is not used for breeding purposes are highly suseptable to urinary tract infections, reproductive cancers and other internal conditions that can shorten their life spans.

3. I don't know if you're a girl, but do you know what its like to have your period?

its worse for a female dog or cat or any pet to go into heat... over and over and over and over... for it to play on their much more delicate systems, to not reproduce,

You think your hot flashes and cramps are annoying... what about your poor pet's who has to go through it over and over and over and doesn't have asprin or Midol for relief?

or to reproduce and have their offspring end up as statistics in the shelters...

Non productive heats can shorten a pet's life not to mention girls who go into heat and don't reproduce are also suspetable to vaginal infections...

My dog is neutered and he is happy, he is full of life, full of energy, doesn't have a mean bone in his body...

and I know I'm protecting him from having unwanted offspring and lessening his risk of testicular cancer. He's blissfully unaware that he's any different from the day he was born.

He's no worse for it... he doesn't look at me in disgust for neutering him... he's happy. THATS what matters. He's happy and he'll live a MUCH longer life.

my bunny gabby went through so many infections until we had her spayed. Never a single UTI after that. Her breed of rabbit usually lived to be 6... she lived to 8 and a half.

I mean, you'd rather put your dog through vaginal infections, suffer through heat phases, have a higher potential for reproductive cancers, go through UTI after UTI after UTI instead of fixing them?

PS. Humans DO get fixed. Its called a vasactomy and Tying of the tubes. Like someone else said, its not genitle mutilation... its basically an animal vasactomy or tube tie.