There are good reasons for spaying and neutering your pet. Read more about why summer is an important season for pets on our blog.

Summer Loving: The Case for Spaying or Neutering Your Animal Today
Summer is one of the busiest times for animal shelters. That is because the number of both kittens and puppy births peaks sharply during the summer.

Many pet owners are diligent about having their animal companion spayed or neutered, with 86% of pet dogs and 90% of pet cats having been spayed or neutered between 2015 and 2016, according to an American Pet Products Association survey. Still, some animal professionals working in animal shelters and spay clinics say there is a problem.

The problem is that both cats and dogs are prodigious reproducers. Without a trip to the spay clinic, a dog can have two litters per year, with each litter being between six and ten puppies.

Cats that have not been to the spay clinic are even more prone to reproduction in the summer, as the longer days trigger their heat cycle. Cat’s can also give birth far more often than dogs, even being able to become pregnant while nursing their previous litter.

Unfortunately, overcrowding is not the only challenge that Arizona animal shelters face during the summer. The high heats are expensive to keep at bay, especially as the number of animals in the clinic surge higher.

As a result of this, many of the animals are shipped off to other clinics in northern states simply to escape the heat and overcrowding. Clinics might also opt for a special, no-fee adoption day. But even those measures aren’t perfect fixes.

Older animals in shelters are particularly likely to suffer from the overcrowding of animal shelters. Many times, older animals will be neglected and fail to find homes, as people looking to adopt are typically attracted towards younger animals. That means many of these older animals never have the second chance at happiness that they so richly deserve.

The biggest problem is that many times, it isn’t an act of malice that puts animals in this situation, but an act of ignorance. Not understanding the importance of spaying and neutering early can result in hundreds more animals ending up in shelters or living on the street.

That is why it is so crucial for pet owners to do everything in their power to see that their animals are properly sterilized.

AZPAWS is the spay and neuter clinic Phoenix AZ Trusts. If you have questions about the importance of spaying or neutering your pet, or pet safety, contact us today.