No one would ever mess with Joe, a 2-year-old American Bulldog. Not just because he is 90 pounds of intimidating muscle, or because he roars instead of barks. He lives in a walk-up third floor apartment in a marginal neighborhood, and you can hear his heavy tread above you as you enter the foyer of the building.
No, to me, none of those factors is particularly off-putting. I’ve worked with larger dogs, in worse communities. To me, the most daunting aspect of Joe is that the dog is not neutered.
Despite the health issues and behavior problems that intact dogs can experience (I’m talking about pets here, not show dogs), some owners are adamant that their dogs keep their equipment. The most evident unwanted result of this attitude is the overpopulation of pets. At any animal shelter, you can have your pick of dogs that were indiscriminatly fathered by Joe and his ilk. The latest numbers are that only one out of five companion animals have a home; the rest end up in shelters or on the street, and 20-30% of those will be euthanized.
Since we are a test-loving society, here is a multiple choice exam that I would dearly love to give to people who choose not to neuter:
“No Gonad Left Behind” Dog Ownership Test
1. Dogs should NOT be spayed or altered because:
a) My kid needs to learn about the birds and the bees first-hand;
b) My dog has to have sex or s/he will be depressed;
c) It doesn’t look cool if my dog is missing his cajones;
d) I wouldn’t do that to myself, so why would I do that to my dog?
e) None of the above.
2. The average cost of breeding, whelping and raising a litter of puppies to age 8 weeks is:
a) About $10 a month. I’ll just mate my two dogs and feed them the stuff that costs $5 for a 30 lb bag;
b) More than it costs to neuter a dog;
c) Let’s see – health checks, vaccinations, food, time off from work, eye certifications, puppy wormer medicine, ultrasounds, emergency vet visits, etc. Hmmmm…;
d) Both b) and c).
3. Dogs get fat after they are spayed or neutered because:
a) All their motivation for living is gone;
b) They are missing the hormones that keep them at the right weight;
c) Their owners give them too much food and too little exercise.
4. Dogs that are neutered:
a) Are less likely to try and escape or to roam the neighborhood;
b) Don’t get into fights as often as intact dogs;
c) Won’t mark their territory as much as non-neutered dogs;
d) All of the above.
5. Getting my dog neutered is:
a) A hassle. I don’t have time to take my dog to the vet;
b) Too expensive. I don’t have the money;
c) A piece of cake. I’m bringing him to the vet anyway for his annual checkup;
d) Reasonable. I went to SpayUSA.org and found a place I could afford. There is also Friends of Animals; they have certificates for reduced spay/neuter fees;
e) Both c) and d).
Spoiler Alert! The answers are below, but give yourself an A if your dog is already spayed or neutered.
1 – e; 2 – d; 3 – c; 4 – d; 5 – e