The choice to spay or neuter your pet may be one of the most important decisions you make impacting their long-term health—and your wallet!
Despite popular belief it is not necessary for you pet to have had a litter before they can be neutered or spayed. Spaying and neutering can increase the longevity of your pets health.
A University of Georgia study, based on the medical records of more than 70,000 animal patients, found that the life expectancy of neutered male dogs was 13.8% longer and that of spayed female dogs was 26.3% longer. The average age of death of intact dogs was 7.9 years versus a significantly older 9.4 years for altered dogs.
Benefits
A female dog or female cat can become pregnant as early as six months old. A female dog (bitch) will come into season (heat) twice a year, while a female cat can come into heat several times during the year. Contrary to popular belief it is NOT necessary to allow a female to have one litter before having them spayed.
While your male pets cannot become pregnant it is also advisable to have them neutered as it makes them less inclined to roam, as males have been known to travel long distances to a female that is in heat. Spaying (females) or neutering (males) does not affect the personality of your pet other than in the case of male dogs where there is a possibility of reducing aggression. If your cat does have a litter of kittens it can become pregnant again before the kittens are 5 weeks old.
Please note: female dogs and cats should not be neutered while they are in heat, it is best to wait a week or two after their heat is ended
The cost of spaying and neutering may seem expensive but this operation will only happen once in your pet’s lifetime, which isn’t much when you consider the benefits.
Apart from preventing unwanted litters there are also several additional benefits:
| Spaying (Females) | Neutering (Males) |
| ✔ Fewer pregnancies improve overall health | ✔ Less inclined to roam |
| ✔ Fewer unwanted litters | ✔ Reduces aggression in male dogs |
| ✔ Helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumours | ✔ Helps prevent testicular cancer and some prostate problems. |
| ✔ Females wont go into heat, no howling or urinating all over the house | ✔ Prevents disease spread through bites and scratches in cats. |
In 1996/97 Roscrea SPCA introduced a Subsidised Neutering Scheme for cats and dogs, both male and female. Since it’s inception, the Scheme has been a huge success, growing from year to year. We strongly urge pet owners to avail of this scheme, as it is getting harder and harder to find good homes for unplanned and unwanted litters of pups and kittens.
Feral cats are a problem at the present time. If animals are not neutered this problem can quickly escalate. They become disease ridden through inbreeding and pose a threat to the health of domestic cats. If you are feeding feral (wild) cats, contact us about our TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) Scheme for Feral Cats.
Statistics
To find out more about our Subsidised Neutering Scheme (pets and feral), please email roscreaspca@gmail.com or call Andrea on 086 358 2440
| Male Cat | Female Cat | Total Cats | Male Dog | Female Dog | Total Dogs | Overall Total | |
| June 1998 – May 1999 | 10 | 34 | 44 | 8 | 43 | 51 | 95 |
| June 1999 – May 2000 | 6 | 40 | 46 | 11 | 27 | 38 | 84 |
| June 2000 – Aug 2001 | 38 | 90 | 128 | 13 | 57 | 70 | 198 |
| Sept 2001 – Aug 2002 | 44 | 83 | 127 | 46 | 84 | 130 | 257 |
| Sept 2002 – Aug 2003 | 59 | 121 | 180 | 48 | 117 | 165 | 345 |
| Sept 2003 – Aug 2004 | 76 | 140 | 216 | 62 | 130 | 192 | 408 |
| Sept 2004 – Aug 2005 | 53 | 100 | 153 | 40 | 99 | 139 | 292 |
| Sept 2005 – Aug 2006 | 40 | 147 | 187 | 60 | 106 | 166 | 353 |
| Sept 2006 – Aug 2007 | 70 | 191 | 261 | 54 | 93 | 147 | 408 |
| Sept 2007 – Aug 2008 | 70 | 140 | 210 | 71 | 134 | 205 | 415 |
| Sept 2008 – Aug 2009 | 72 | 137 | 209 | 54 | 66 | 120 | 329 |
| Sept 2009 – Aug 2010 | 93 | 134 | 227 | 60 | 72 | 132 | 359 |
| Sept 2010 – Aug 2011 | 100 | 159 | 259 | 84 | 86 | 170 | 429 |
| Sept 2011 – Aug 2012 | 106 | 141 | 247 | 84 | 108 | 192 | 439 |
| Sept 2012 – Aug 2013 | 63 | 128 | 191 | 73 | 130 | 203 | 394 |
| Sept 2013 – Aug 2014 | 24 | 65 | 89 | 23 | 54 | 77 | 166 |
| Sept 2014 – Aug 2015 | 57 | 71 | 128 | 66 | 88 | 154 | 282 |
| Sept 2015 – Aug 2016 | 81 | 129 | 210 | 88 | 153 | 241 | 451 |
| Sept 2016 – Dec 2016 | 46 | 56 | 102 | 36 | 31 | 67 | 169 |
| Jan 2017 – Dec 2017 | 127 | 168 | 295 | 97 | 132 | 229 | 524 |
| TOTAL | 1,235 | 2,274 | 3,509 | 1,078 | 1,810 | 2,888 | 6,397 |
The Society is very grateful for the generosity and support of the local people who are always there to support it.