Desexing Companion Animals

There are three main reasons: 

• Many people don’t get their pets spayed or neutered. These animals go on to have babies and then homes can't be found for them.
• People still buy animals from disreputable breeders or pet stores, when a fantastic alternative would be to provide a loving permanent home for animals from shelters and rescue organisations. 
• People get companion animals without considering the lifetime commitment that caring for them requires. The costs of food and vet care associated with keeping a pet, the hours of care and training and even being able to keep a pet in a rental home can all be reasons that people can no longer keep their pets.

• Learning about companion animal overpopulation and the importance of spaying and neutering companion animals is a vital first step in helping to reduce the number of homeless animals.
• Ask your family to get your companion animals spayed or neutered. 
• Encourage your family and friends to adopt their next companion animal from their local RSPCA, council shelter or animal rescue. There are a lot of wonderful dogs, cats and other companion animals just waiting for a loving home.
• Make sure your companion animals have an identification tag and microchip, and that your dog is registered with your local council. Some councils also require cats to be registered, so make sure you check with your own local council. 
• Teach others about companion animal overpopulation and how they can help.
• Organise a supplies collection to help RSPCA and other animal rescues care for homeless companion animals until they can find new, forever homes for them.

• Spaying, for a girl, and neutering for a boy, is a simple but important surgery for all cats, dogs, rabbits and even guinea pigs.
• Spaying and neutering ensures that more animals are not born without kind, caring and responsible homes. 
• Every companion animal adopted from RSPCA has already been spayed or neutered.

• Spaying and neutering reduces or stops many infections and cancers in male (boy) and female (girl) animals.
• Your companion animal (pet) is likely to be less distracted, more easily trained, and a more relaxed member of your family once they are spayed or neutered.
• Your pet is less likely to want to roam in search of a mate. This decreases the chances of your pet becoming lost, getting into fights with other animals or being hit by a car.
• Spraying urine to mark their territory is usually reduced.
• Your family won’t have to pay for extra food or veterinary care in the event of an unexpected litter of puppies or kittens.
• Your family won’t have the difficult job of finding homes for litters of puppies or kittens.
• It also costs less to register your dog with your local council if they are spayed or neutered – so your family saves money!