Pet Overpopulation Research Paper

Millions of unwanted animals are put down in the United States every year due to overpopulation. People who are unable to care for their pets or are unable to afford to get them spayed and neutered, will give them up to a shelter, or they will let them have numerous litters of babies. This is the main reason for overpopulation, the one biggest solution for this problem is to offer a free or cheap spay and neuter program throughout the U.S. for everyone who can not afford to get their animals fixed. Peter Marsh had an interesting way of explaining what pet overpopulation really is, he said “But if you look at individual animals, and know that each individual animal has a history, and a family, and perhaps a name and a story and that their …show more content…
In the past, it was believed that for a female animal to live a longer, happier, and healthier life, that she had to produce at least one litter of kittens. This is not true. It is actually better to spay your animals early to help prevent things like cancer and tumors in your pets. Some people even spay their pets as early as 8 weeks old, which actually allows for the pet to be more healthy. Another big myth that stop people from getting their pets fixed is the belief that they will lose their machismo and their protectiveness. This is also only a myth. The only difference between a fixed dog and an intact male dog, is that intact male dogs tend to be more aggressive and have more of a tendency to urinate more frequently. A dogs personality remains intact whether or not the dog still is, his protectiveness will still be there as well because it is in their genetics, not in their hormones. Some people also believe that spaying and neutering causes animals to become fat and lazy, also untrue. The MSPCA states that “Overfeeding animals and depriving them of enough exercise will make them fat and lazy. As animals age, they generally require fewer calories, and their diets should be adjusted …show more content…
Here is the one simple solution, offer a free or cheap spay and neuter program in every county throughout the United States. Spaying and neutering an animal is a simple surgical procedure that removes an animals reproductive systems. They do have to undergo anesthesia for the surgery, but the majority of animals that get fixed are up and eating and playing within a matter of hours after the procedure. Dogs and cats can be fixed as early as 8 weeks of age, the younger you get your animal fixed, the healthier it will be. If everyone were able to get their pet fixed at a price they could afford, many animals lives would be saved, this would reduce the number of unwanted litters, therefore reducing the number of animals that end up in