February may be best known as the month of love, but it also happens to be a time for spay and neuter awareness. Countless cats and dogs who are born on the streets as strays will never experience love or the gentle touch of a human hand.

Pet overpopulation is an unfortunate reality. Millions of cats and dogs wander the streets without a home in the United States, and the reality is there are not enough homes for all these animals. The fewer who need to enter shelters, means a greater opportunity for those cats and dogs that are patiently waiting for their forever homes.

Spaying and neutering can be beneficial to a pet’s health as well. Altered animals experience little to no risk of certain cancers, such as mammary gland cancer or testicular cancer. In fact, altered dogs can be expected to live an average of one to three years longer, and altered cats live three to five years longer. Spaying also means that a pet will never be “in heat,” meaning that the males and females will be more content to stay at home.

The upside is that you can help by spaying or neutering your pet, or by making a donation toward the spay/neuter of a cat or dog in need. 

Contact Green Mountain Animal Defenders at 802-861-3030 or www.gmad.info for more information on reduced cost spay/neuter options. Think of it as an act of love, for both your pet and your community.

Sincerely,

Timothy Monbleau

Green Mountain Animal Defenders 

Intern