On Pet Sterilization and the Ethics of Pet Ownership
Many people believe that sterilizing pets is an inhumane practice. However, numerous experts and scholars hold the view that the very act of "keeping pets" is itself inhumane. Training dogs to sit, confining cats indoors without allowing them to go outside, or artificially breeding special breeds — all these actions violate nature.
Animals are born with inherent survival abilities. They have thoughts, freedom, choices, and the capacity to evolve. Yet humans, driven by personal preferences, forcibly confine them as pets. No matter how abundant your financial resources are or how scientifically you manage their care, you can never fully understand an animal's psychology and needs, nor can you completely satisfy them.
Animals inevitably have to alter their natural instincts and behaviors due to various imposed restrictions. Since animals have already been transformed into pets living closely with humans — sharing food, shelter, and daily life — it is necessary to develop healthy measures under this new lifestyle model that benefit the coexistence of both parties.
Many Experts and Veterinarians Agree on the Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
1. Effectively Stabilize Your Pet's Emotions
Spaying and neutering can help stabilize pets' emotions, preventing the instability that often occurs during their heat cycles and reducing aggressive behavior. This calming effect helps ease anxious feelings and eliminates various problems caused by mating instincts.
For example, female cats in heat tend to yowl loudly, and female dogs attract numerous amorous males, which can lead to marking territory with urine in inappropriate places, fights, and other disturbances. Male cats in heat may mark their territory by spraying urine to assert dominance. After being spayed or neutered, these animals no longer exhibit such problematic behaviors related to mating.
Moreover, spaying and neutering tend to make pets more docile and gentle by reducing sex hormones that can cause anxiety. When faced with frustration, pets affected by these hormonal fluctuations may show maladaptive behaviors such as biting, destructive chewing, or irritability. Spaying and neutering can help pets overcome these issues and lead to a more balanced and harmonious life in the home.
2. Reducing the Incidence of Diseases Associated with the Reproductive System in Pets
Spaying and neutering significantly reduce the occurrence of diseases related to the reproductive system in pets, such as those affecting the uterus and cervix. After sterilization, both cats and dogs are less likely to develop a variety of health problems.
In male animals, neutering helps prevent conditions such as orchitis (inflammation of the testicles), tumors of the testes or epididymis, testicular trauma, prostate cysts, prostate enlargement, and perineal hernias. For females, spaying can avoid serious issues including pyometra (uterine infection), uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, and other endocrine disorders linked to sex hormones.
Moreover, the risk of mammary gland cancer in unspayed cats and dogs is seven times higher compared to those that have undergone the surgery.
3. Pets Often Experience Multiple Pregnancies, Which Can Harm Their Bodies
Pets often go through multiple pregnancies, which can take a significant toll on their bodies. The process of giving birth is physically demanding, and during this time, pets require extra care and attention from their owners. This added responsibility can be challenging and stressful for pet owners.
Spaying or neutering pets effectively eliminates these concerns. By preventing repeated pregnancies, it helps ensure that pets remain healthier and reduces the time and effort needed for post-birth care, providing peace of mind for owners.
Reasons Pet Owners Oppose Neutering
1. Understanding the Risks and Safety of Pet Sterilization Surgery
Sterilization is ultimately a surgical procedure, so there are inevitably some risks involved. You might worry about dangers occurring during anesthesia or the possibility of infection after the operation that could harm your pet.
However, this is actually a routine minor surgery. When performed by veterinarians who have received specialized surgical training, the procedure is conducted under full anesthesia, ensuring the animal does not feel any pain. The level of harm is minimal.
2. Preserving Pet Bloodlines: A Cautious Perspective
Many pet owners believe their pets are exceptionally well-behaved or come from superior bloodlines, and they wish to preserve these excellent traits. However, even the most talented parents can have offspring that do not meet expectations; genetic inheritance doesn't always guarantee desired outcomes.
Moreover, some owners use their pets to participate in competitions to earn the titles of champion cats or dogs. These show animals are typically not spayed or neutered, with the hope that the champion's superior lineage can be extended. Yet, at its core, this practice often boils down to exploiting the pets for profit-driven motives.
3. Understanding Concerns About Pet Sterilization
Some pet owners may feel that sterilizing their pets deprives them of their natural reproductive rights and goes against nature and their pets' dignity. This can lead to emotional hesitation and a sense of reluctance when considering the procedure.
You might worry that neutering or spaying your pet will cause a drastic change in their behavior. However, in reality, female animals usually do not change at all. Male animals may experience some slight changes, but these are positive ones, such as becoming calmer, more gentle, and better behaved.
4. The Importance of Neutering Male Animals
Male animals do not give birth to puppies, so some may wonder if neutering is really necessary. However, the problems caused by male hormones can be just as troublesome for pet owners as those related to reproduction.
Male animals often have a constant urge to find a mate. This can lead to aggressive fights with other male dogs due to jealousy, resulting in severe injuries. They are also more likely to exhibit destructive behaviors such as damaging furniture or biting people. Furthermore, symptoms like excessive barking or bad temper are common signs of sexual frustration. In short, sexual urges can turn a once adorable pet into an annoying and troublesome one.
Of course, some believe that simply supervising a pet in heat at home is enough and that neutering is not necessary. However, when a pet is in heat, problems extend beyond just blood stains or destruction in the living area. Even though pets kept indoors may be prevented from becoming pregnant, frequent heat cycles can lead to loss of appetite, weight loss, and overall health deterioration.
Therefore, neutering male animals is an important measure—not only to prevent unwanted litters but also to reduce behavioral problems and maintain the health and harmony of pets and their households.
5. Breeding Pets for Profit: Challenges and a Better Alternative
Breeding kittens and puppies to make money might seem like an easy way to earn income, but there are many hidden difficulties. Buying small animals in pet shops is never cheap, but the costs to breed pets and raise puppies are also significant. Expenses include mating fees, medical bills for complications like difficult births, and more. Moreover, small animals require careful and attentive care, and it's all too easy for them to die prematurely if neglected even slightly.
Even if you manage to overcome all these hardships and successfully raise the animals to maturity, it's not easy to find proper selling channels. This situation often leads many owners to abandon their pets, or to keep breeding more and more without finding homes for them.
If you love animals, a much better choice is to support adoption instead of purchasing. Adoption helps reduce overpopulation and gives homeless pets a second chance at life.
6. Does Neutering Cause Pets to Gain Weight?
First of all, neutering surgery itself does not cause animals to become overweight. The primary reasons for obesity in pets are overfeeding by the owner and lack of exercise. It is true that animals tend to be less active after neutering, but all induced behaviors ultimately depend on the owner's attitude.
For example, guide dogs must undergo neutering surgery before formal training begins. Yet, have you ever seen any of them become excessively overweight? Of course, some people also believe that male animals lose their "masculine spirit" after neutering—dogs no longer guard the house, and cats stop catching mice. This is simply nonsense.
Such traits are innate in animals and only applied by humans. Dogs have territorial behavior, which is why they guard the home; cats see mice as prey, so they hunt them. Whether they are neutered or not has nothing to do with these behaviors.
You can observe that many working dogs around the world have been neutered, yet this does not affect their natural talents or instincts.
Safe Spaying and Neutering for Pets
When it comes to performing a safe spaying or neutering surgery for your pet, the first step is to choose a veterinarian from a professional animal hospital to perform the procedure.
For female animals, the spaying surgery involves the complete removal of the uterus and ovaries. For male animals, neutering is done by removing the testicles.
Although the idea might sound a bit daunting, the surgery process itself is very safe. After the operation, dogs generally recover and regain their energy within about three days.
Understanding Pet Sterilization: A Balanced Perspective
In some countries, education regarding pet care is extremely limited. The so-called reliable information we receive mostly comes from professionals who are relatively persuasive, such as veterinarians and pet groomers. Everything else is often just misinformation circulated online.
Opinions on whether animals should be sterilized are polarized. For certain breeders and those in the industry, sterilization is certainly not encouraged—after all, how would they profit otherwise? However, animal welfare organizations point out that failing to sterilize pets often leads to more abandonment, which in turn results in a far more inhumane outcome: euthanasia under the guise of humane treatment.
Some people argue that there are already plenty of dogs and cats, so one more won't make a difference. But just look at this city—millions of cats and dogs are born every year. Many cannot find suitable owners, and ultimately, they may be released into the wild or become strays. Although some lucky ones find new homes, many more are tragically pushed by humans down the irreversible path of euthanasia.
So, who is to blame for the stray animal problem? The author only hopes that everyone can understand that sterilization is not a matter of right or wrong. Please weigh the pros and cons carefully before making a decision for your own pet.
