Today marks World Spay day, an annual Humane Society campaign that encourages spaying and neutering pets in order to save lives and reduce pet overpopulation.
In Winnemucca, space is limited at the animal control facility. Dogs found in the city are kept 30 days before being euthanized and dogs found in the county are kept 10 days (space permitting).
Last year the city/county animal control facility saw a total of 687 dogs who were either picked up or brought to the shelter. Of those, 191 had to be euthanized.
According to the Humane Society, 2.7 million healthy and adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized each year. Every 11 seconds an animal is put down and often that animal is the offspring of a family pet.
City animal control officer Connie Patterson said all someone would need to do to understand the importance of spaying and neutering pets is spend some time at the shelter.
"Uncontrolled breeding creates a pyramid of problems that end up resulting in shelter dogs," she said. "(Spaying/neutering) is the No. 1 thing a responsible pet owner does."
Patterson said spaying and neutering will save pet owners money in the long run because it will prevent health problems and keep pets home instead of on the street waiting to be picked up by animal control.
"I understand the expense but if you adopt a puppy and have a forever pet, spread over the next 15 years it's not that much," she said. "I think it's money well spent; you can't put a price on the investment."
Luckily for area pet owners, there are vouchers available to reduce the cost of spaying and neutering. Any pet owner who brings in proof of a rabies vaccine for his or her pet can receive a voucher for $30 off a dog neuter, $50 a dog spay, $40 off a cat neuter and $75 off a cat spay.
Locally, pet owners have several options for spaying and neutering - Keystone According to the Humane Society, spaying and neutering is the only 100 percent effective method of birth control for pets and it offers a list of benefits of doing so:
• Fewer homeless and stray cats and dogs.
• Neutered and spayed pets are more likely to live longer lives.
• Neutered and spayed pets are more likely to be healthier.
• Neutered and spayed pets are less likely to exhibit problem behaviors like spraying, excessive barking, aggression, roaming, urine marking and other dominance-related behaviors.
• Less money spent on health care and licensing.
In northern Nevada, World Spay Day is being honored by the Nevada Humane Society with PetSmart Charities' Beat the Heat spay/neuter program. During the month of February cat owners can get their female cats fixed for just $20 at the Nevada Humane Society location in Reno.
For information, contact Kimberly Chandler at (775) 856-2000 ext. 324 or email kchandler@nevadahumanesociety.org.[[In-content Ad]]
