» What is Mandatory Spay/Neuter? |
What is Mandatory Spay/Neuter?
Mandatory Spay/Neuter (MSN) laws force pets over a certain age to be spayed or neutered. This is done by requiring restrictive and expensive licenses for intact animals. When you get a license for your pet, you have to tell them whether or not the animal is intact. In fact, rabies certificates even state if the animal is spayed or neutered
The Animal Rights Myth
The animal rights groups claim that MSN will solve a pet overpopulation issue. They cite shelter overcrowding and euthanasia rates as justification. They use examples of places where MSN has been passed to support the claim that it does work.
The Government Beliefs
Government officials feel the burden of unwanted pets in the form of tax dollars being spent on shelter resources and citizens complaining about strays in their neighborhood. When the animal rights groups offer up a solution in the form of MSN, the legislators are given the impression that by not having intact animals, there will be no more unplanned litters, no more unwanted pets. Surely that would reduce the load on the shelter workers and free up the resources to be utilized elsewhere.
Why is Mandatory Spay Neuter Wrong?
There is not a pet overpopulation problem. The majority of pets being euthanized in shelters are adults. This is a pet retention problem, and it needs to be addressed through education and outreach.
Cities that have enacted MSN laws have actually seen an increase in pets at their shelters. Some have repealed the laws after studying the effects. This is combined with a decrease in license compliance, which translates into less money coming in and more money being spent.
When the laws are too restrictive for the breeders of quality pets to continue breeding, the only result is that the pets being produced have a higher incidence of health and temperament problems. These breeders also don't offer a lifetime support network for the buyers. The dogs produced by these substandard breeders are the ones most likely to be placed in shelters.
The Reality of Enforcing MSN
It is impossible to tell if a female has been spayed, and it isn't always easy to tell if males have been neutered.
Going door to door checking on licenses is expensive and time consuming. When combined with an increase in dogs that have been surrendered and a decrease in revenues brought in from licensing, it simply becomes impractical.
Responsible owners will either spay or neuter their pets or will surrender them. The irresponsible ones, who were already the owners that had unplanned litters and allowed their dogs to roam the neighborhoods will simply continue to violate the laws and will continue to be irresponsible. They will not spay or neuter. They will simply not license their animals. Responsible breeders will either cease breeding or they will move, leaving the breeding to be done by irresponsible breeders.
What Really Causes Unplanned Litters
The primary cause of unplanned litters is owners allowing their animals to run loose. Enforcing leash laws and keeping pets confined to your property when you are not with them would drastically reduce the number of births. Learning how to recognize the indications that a female is in heat and ensuring that she is kept separate from intact males during this time would also prevent unplanned litters.
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