Two weeks ago, I listened to Drew Carey's advice and I got my dog spayed. You know, at the end of every episode of "The Price is Right" how Bob Barker and now Drew Carey says: "Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered." Well I did it. I strolled on down to the animal hospital and got my dog, Luna, spayed.
The big concern of many pet owners, especially broke college student pet owners, is the expensive fees that come along side with the surgery. Little do most people know, but Tallahassee has this incredible organization called Be the Solution, Inc. that provides vouchers to Tallahassee residents who are in need of some financial help to get their animal fixed. This surgery that would have normally cost me $240 now only cost me $40.
Be the Solution, Inc. strives to prevent pet overpopulation by reducing the amount of unwanted litters born in our community. All I did to receive my voucher was fill out a simple form with my address and pet information. I received a voucher with a $40 co-pay but there is an option for a $5 co-pay if you can provide proof of financial need such as a food stamp card or an unemployment check stub.
Sure, you won't be able to breed your dog, but that's a lot more work than you think it is. Caring for a whole litter of baby animals is exhausting and very expensive. Breeding should be done by professionals to ensure that the litters are healthy and free of genetic disorders. Also, a lot of problems can occur during a dog pregnancy and birth. Some might ultimately even be fatal.
There are numerous benefits to getting your pet spayed or neutered. First of all, if you have a female pet, you won't have to deal with that nasty heat cycle! Let's face it, no one wants to clean up random red blood spots on their white carpet. Personally, I got my dog spayed when she was a year and three months old so I had to experience the torture that is a heat cycle. Not only were there countless red stains all over the carpet of my apartment, but my dog looked miserable. She was constantly licking her inflamed private area and she even threw up multiple times during her cycle. I immediately regretted holding off on getting her spayed.
Females aren't the only ones leaving a mess around the house when they want the world to know about their reproductive availability. Males tend to spray strong-smelling urine all around the house to mark their territory and let the ladies know that they are single and ready to mingle.
Your fixed pets will also live longer and healthier lives. Spaying prevents breast tumors and uterine infections in females while neutering prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems in males.
So, say goodbye to messy stains on your carpet and hello to medical benefits for your kitty. Unleash your dog and go to the dog park without a worry of having a litter of puppies in your future. Help control the pet population and have your pet spayed or neutered today!
