SPAY & NEUTER
Truly making a difference one pet at a time!
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BAM is committed to reducing the strain felt by municipal shelters and rescues when unfixed strays and relinquished pets need them. Nowhere is this more felt than in our commitment to spaying and neutering.
We work with local veterinary clinics, including the clinic at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, and the Humane Society in St. George, Utah to guarantee that each pet we place for adoption has been spayed or neutered.
Should you have any questions about spaying or neutering your dog or cat, we recommend you read through the infographic below.
Common myths or misconceptions about spaying and neutering have been debunked over the years, but are still commonly spread. If you have questions you should really speak with your veterinarian, but below are a few of the most common myths we hear:
MYTH:
My female dog (or cat) will be healthier if they are able to have a full heat cycle.
TRUTH:
Medical evidence indicates that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight week of age, if they are otherwise healthy.
Also, every litter counts! It is a rare home or backyard breeder who will have the resources to ensure each kitten or puppy sold or given away is fixed before moving to their new home. Those unaltered pets are much more likely to go on to contribute to the pet overpopulation.
MYTH:
My pet will get fat!
TRUTH:
Your pet's overall health is nearly entirely up to you and the care the pet receives. The age at which your pet is spayed or neutered is oftentimes in line with the natural slowing of their growth and theywould normally begin to put on weight anyway. The good news is that weight gain is not inevitable and is almost 100% related to managing what your pet eats, how much food they are given, and exercise to keep them at an appropriate weight and muscle tone.
MYTH:
My pet is a purebred, so their genes should be passed on.
TRUTH:
At least one in every four pets turned in to shelters around the country is purebred. There are wonderful purebred cats and dogs to be adopted from shelters and rescues every day. There are just too many dogs and cats — mixed breed and purebred — to find homes for. This means about half of all pets that enter municipal shelters will be euthanized.
MYTH:
I don't want to change my dog. I want it to be protective.
TRUTH:
It is a dog's natural instinct to protect their home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.
MYTH:
My child will benefit from experiencing the miracle of birth with our pets.
TRUTH:
The miracle of birth is quickly overshadowed by the endless supportive care kittens and puppies need, not to mention the thousands of animals euthanized in animal shelters across the country each month. Teaching children that all life is precious by spaying and neutering your pets is a much more valuable lesson in the long run.
If you think your kids would benefit from seeing the miracle of birth or by helping raise kittens or puppies, please resist the urge to have even just one litter. Instead, consider reaching out to BAM, your local shelter, or another pet rescue near you. Most organizations love to have the help of families, either as full-time fosters for a mother and her litter, or in helping to socialize baby animals with many different people.
MYTH:
My male pet will feel less like a male if I have him neutered!
TRUTH:
There is no evidence that supports pets have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. They don't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered. This concern is purely based in humans projecting how they feel on their pets.
