Debate To spay or neuter... or not?

yeah, i have lots of pets dogs, cats, birds, cats, frogs, slugs, snails, all those stuff.... and i'm from america. (well, hawaii is a state...)

but i can't see what's so wrong about eating dogs... but if people eat fugu and snails and all those things, (plus some cows that have the disease thing) what's so bad about eating a dog? and i doesn't have to be in a restaraunt. you could just go to the grocery store and buy a slab of dog. and if you die from getting a disease or something from eating the dog, oh well. one less person on the planet.

 

Well, shall we get this thread back on topic?

Personally, I do not like spaying or neutering, but, I know that it is a necessary evil. Without it, we would be overrun by unwanted animals. So, while I don't like the option, I would likely find myself spaying or neutering my pets.

But those commercials on TV, where the cartoon animals tell you to get your pets fixed, aren't those just kind of... wrong? I mean, it's like shouting out "Castrate me!" Something I'm sure none of us would want to say.

 

Heh, over her it's goes along the lines of a guy in a dog suit running around a part with a sign in his hand.

 

Well, I don't think it's the same to an animal as it is to a person. Humans make a huuuge fuss about sexual identity - animals don't, for the most part, because they lack the capacity to think that way. Spaying or neutering is less traumatic for them, I think, than having them repeatedly go into heat and be unable to mate, or keeping them shut up in a house or yard where they can't go and find a female - those things are stressful for them. In the long run, I'd say that spaying/neutering is a kindness, because it removes incredibly strong instinctive urges that they can't control, which in many cases would cause more harm if they were allowed to act on that instinct.

Now, if we were talking about higher primates or dolphins, I wouldn't support alteration, since those animals have a high degree of self-awareness and more social implications for their sexualities. (Zoos actually use birth control with primates, I believe...)

Can I ask what it is about spaying and neutering that makes you think of it as a necessary evil, Shinryu? (I remember I used to think it seemed mean or unfair when I was little, so I'm just curious where you're coming from...)

And yakamashi... >_> While I don't see anything "wrong," per se, with eating dogs or cats (as opposed to eating cows, chickens, etc), if you're going to stand by that view, could you address my questions about how exactly you think such a thing could be reasonably implemented?

 

Agreeing with some prevous comments: If the owner doesn't intend to breed an animal, spay/neuter it.

If you aren't going to breed it on purpose, why leave the possibility open to breed it on accident?

We don't alter our dogs, but they are purebred Brittany Spaniels. One of them is the daughter of the other, and it will continue that way. The ones we don't keep are all sold easily.

If I had a mutt, I'd probably alter it.

 

I'm assuming that you ask why I think it's an evil, not rather why it's necessary. I suppose it's asking too much for them to just, not do it when they're in heat. I don't know, it's not really a rational thought. You know what, I'll conceed. It's not necessarily evil, though it is necessary. Although it is unkind to the animal itself, I suppose it is better to fix them than to have to worry about future animals.

 

Ok. I have a question about those people who said if the animals were planned to good families.
I have had bad problems with this issue.
About 5 years ago our neighbour had a litter of puppies, they were not purebred, so they were not really in demand. In turn they found several families who had wanted the puppies (i believe it was a litter of 9 or so) when the puppies turned out, people backed out. They were unable to sell the puppies so they were planning to give them up to the pound so hopefully someone would take them, but they were worried since they were likely to be killed. We ended taking in the extra 2 other puppies.

I think its not safe, You've got to prepare already before and make sure that they will be wanted and be taken into homes.

 

I've always had cats and dogs since I was little, and every one of them was spayed/neutered. I agree with most of you that when you don't fix your pet, you run the risk of unwanted puppies/kittens. The pounds are overflowing with unwanted pets, many of which eventually get put down. So why create more of a problem?

On the other hand, I feel kind of guilty. Animals were made for reproducing, (like humans,) so what gives us the right to take that from them? I always believe you shouldn't mess with nature.
My dog is a mixed breed (Sheepdog + Brittany) that was an "accident" puppy from my aunt and uncle's dog. They found homes for all the dogs and everyone loves them very much. If she had been spayed, they wouldn't exist...

So I'm a little in between...