Dog Fancy May Column

Bob Barker/Spay and Neuter

1/15/04

By Kyra Kirkwood

Only one out of every 10 dogs born in the United States ever finds a permanent home.

Every year, four million dogs and cats are euthanized at the nation's animal shelters.

In six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs.

But you can make a difference.

Spaying or neutering is the most important way to curb pet overpopulation. Humane society experts urge you to sterilize your dog and encourage your friends to do the same.

Bob Barker, the much-lauded host of the "The Price is Right," is an outspoken animal advocate who never misses a chance to help pets in need.

"What we have to do to stop this mass euthanization is to spay and neuter," he says. "[There are] too many throw-away dogs."

After every show, he encourages people to have their pets spayed or neutered, and, in 1995, he founded the DJ&T Foundation. Named in memory of his wife Dorothy Jo and his mother Matilda (Tilly) Valandra, the DJ&T Foundation funds low-cost spay/neuter clinics and voucher programs across the nation. Working at the grassroots level, the foundation benefits a wide spectrum of recipients, from clinics to individual pet owners.

Regina Massaro of New York City is another example of someone who is practicing a grassroots spay/neuter campaign. She began "SNIP," or the Spay Neuter Intervention Program, in urban neighborhoods where intact "junkyard" dogs are a prolific problem. With a generous grant from PetSmart Charities, Massaro targets irresponsible owners and talks them into sterilizing their dogs.

"The leading cause of death is birth, so let's address that," she says.

Even if you aren't able to start your own non-profit organization, there are still dozens of ways you can promote spaying and neutering in your community.

* Always spay or neuter all of your pets.

* Encourage your friends to do the same. Discourage their ideas to breed the ever-so-cute/sweet/purebred Fido. Leave breeding up to the seasoned professionals.

* Don't patronize casual, "backyard" breeders or pet stores, who often times get their dogs from puppy mills.

* Adopt your next dog from a local shelter or rescue group. If someone is thinking of buying a dog, "why don't [you] tell [your] friend to go to a shelter, get a dog that's already born and save its life?" advises Barker.

* During holiday gift exchanges, have officemates take the $10 earmarked for presents and donate it to a local spay and neuter organization, says Massaro.

* Brown bag your lunch for a week and donate the money saved.

"A penny a day…saves a dog," says Massaro.

* Be like Barker and sign off with a plea to spay or neuter. End your home answering machine message with, "Remember, don't litter—spay or neuter" or "Remember to be kind: spay or neuter your pets."

* Put a spay/neuter bumper sticker on your car.

* Encourage veterinarians in your community to perform pro-bono spay and neuter work one Saturday a month.

* Ask your shelter how you can help them develop a mobile spay and neuter clinic.

* If it doesn't already, encourage your shelter to spay or neuter every animal before it's adopted.

* Volunteer your time at a shelter, rescue organization or group that performs spay/neuter outreach.

* Donate money to these groups.

* If people say they don't want to "fix" their dogs due to fears or myths, set them straight. Sterilization does not hurt or mentally scar the animal. It does not cause obesity or change the dog's good personality traits. Evidence shows it does prevent certain types of cancer (testicular, uterine), hormone-driven behaviors (running away, roaming, marking territory, fighting), messy heats and unwanted litters. Many experts believe a spayed or neutered dog is more affectionate and gentler than its intact peers.

* If a neighbor doesn't have the funds or ambition to take his dog to the vet, offer help.

* Visit your local post office and tell the person in charge that you'd like the "Spay and Neuter" stamps to be reissued, says Barker.

Above all, realize that every little bit helps. By adopting your next family member from the shelter and getting him neutered, you will be saving countless lives.