According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), an estimated 3 to 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized each year. That’s one animal every eight seconds. Strays live short, harsh lives riddled with disease and hunger, while also contributing to the overpopulation problem. Organizations such as the HSUS and the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) continue their crusade to persuade pet owners to spay or neuter. They see spaying and neutering as a key element
in reducing the number of unwanted, abandoned, and abused animals. Consider these statistics: Just one cat and her offspring can create 420,000 cats in seven years; one dog and her offspring can create 67,000 dogs in six years. Based on all its potential benefits, you might think spaying and neutering would be an easy sell. You would be wrong. Efforts to persuade pet owners to spay or neuter continue to come
up against heavy resistance by those with strong negative attitudes toward the practice. These negative attitudes are often based on strongly held beliefs that simply have no scientific foundation.