Today marks the 22nd annual World Spay Day and animal organizations worldwide are bringing awareness to the importance of spaying and neutering your pets.

At the Humane Society of Ventura County, we believe that educating the public about the benefits of spay and neuter is one of the most effective ways to help alleviate animal overpopulation. The benefits of spay and neuter go beyond just cutting down on animal overpopulation. Many of the issues that people have with their pets that lead them to be abandoned or surrendered to a shelter can be resolved by spay or neuter. Following are many of the benefits of having your pets altered:

• Altered animals are less likely to roam in search of a mate and to participate in aggressive behavior, they can live longer, healthier lives.
• Neutered cats are less likely to spray and mark their territory.
• Spaying a female dog or cat removes its heat cycle, which eliminates the constant crying and nervous behavior they display for a week to two weeks, as often as two to three times a year.
• Spayed and neutered pets are less likely to bite than unaltered animals.
• Even if you are able to find homes for all of your animal’s offspring, allowing your pet to have babies contributes to the pet overpopulation problem by reducing the number of homes available for animals awaiting adoption in shelters.
• While the Humane Society tries its best to find homes for all animals under its care, the sad fact is that there are not enough homes to go around.
• Altering your pet will not lead to it becoming overweight. Animals gain weight because they are fed too much and are given too little exercise. Removing the reproductive system eliminates organs that are subject to infections, tumors and cancers.
• Your pet should not be used to teach your children the “miracle of birth,” unless you are also prepared to teach them the “reality of death.” Unwanted animals are killed by the thousands each day throughout the United States, making it a tough lesson to learn, especially for the animals.

We are very pleased to be able to offer to our community a low-cost Spay and Neuter Clinic at our Shelter in Ojai. Our Spay and Neuter Clinic was started in 1986 and has since been responsible for altering upwards of 120 dogs, cats, and other animals per month.  To celebrate 80 years of service to the community, the HSVC opened a newly renovated Spay and Neuter clinic in July of 2012. If you would like more information on spay and neuter or like to make an appointment for your pet please call (805) 646-6505.