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  • 1.  Spay/Neuter for Dogs

    Posted 04-03-2024 04:26 AM

    Hope I'm not opening a can of worms -we are a TNR/SN group for cats,. Virginia operates a transfer program from the most rural parts of the state to the more populated - the Facebook site is 90% dominated by dogs.

    Why are there no S/N programs for dogs - is there some reason their pregnancies can't be terminated like we do with cats?

    Laurie signature

    Laurie Counts, Director

    Madison Community Cats, Syria, VA


    #PetSupportServices*

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    Laurie Counts
    Director
    Madison Community Cats aka MAD Cats
    VA
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  • 2.  RE: Spay/Neuter for Dogs

    Posted 04-03-2024 07:08 AM

    They can be, but it's a very unpopular concept. 

    Here in WI, prior to the pandemic, there was a real demand for pups. Now, not so much. There are tons of them here already that we're having trouble rescuing and homing. Still, many groups are bringing puppies and pregnant dogs from other states.  And having so many pups available makes it harder to rehome adult dogs.

    I think there are more practical ways of looking at the overall situation, but we rescue people are an emotional bunch and it's a complicated problem with a lot of moving pieces and puppy dog eyes.



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    Monica Gardner
    Executive Director
    Humane Society of Waupaca County
    WI
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Spay/Neuter for Dogs

    Posted 08-12-2024 06:47 PM

    There was a recent thread around April of this year about spaying pregnant dogs.  The general response was most HQHV spay neuter facilities do it including many late term.  



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    Ursula Hendel
    Founder
    Granos de Arena
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Spay/Neuter for Dogs

    Posted 08-13-2024 06:31 AM

    Hi Ursala, I started the thread.

     It continues to amaze me how hard our rescue, MAD Cats, works in rural Central Virginia, to TNR and S/N domestic and community cats, while other larger rescues "import"/transfer hundreds if not thousands of dogs from southwest VA to try and find homes for them. Wouldn't it change the narrative if we were to spend more to "fix" the dogs and cats where they live, rather than transferring them and then working to find homes?

    While it is tragic to us that we end up spaying so many pregnant cats, it is much less tragic than trying to save orphan kittens, or kittens born to malnourished unvaccinated teenage cats.

    If more money was spent on prevention, there wouldn't be so many dogs to rehome.  Some clever person or rescue could create an incentive to owners to get their dogs neutered.  

    For fear of earning the ire of dog rescues - cats are basically cats - but dogs, mixed breed dogs, their temperament can be anything from cute and friendly and manageable to  having to have special training costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars so they can be adopted. Isn't there something wrong with that picture?

    Just my humble (and probably unpopular) opinion  - 



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    Laurie Counts
    Director
    Madison Community Cats aka MAD Cats
    VA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Spay/Neuter for Dogs

    Posted 08-13-2024 07:33 AM

    I hear you!  We have a 7 month old homeless cat and her two two month old kittens in our clinic today.  Doing  the math, the cat got pregnant at 3 MONTHS of age.

    Anyone who wants to criticize those of us who do pediatric spay (I see that the WSAVA has just announced their new guidelines to recommend against all routine spay and neuter of dogs which makes my blood boil) and those of us who spay pregnant females has an open invitation to come visit me and walk a mile in my shoes.  

    There is no one-size-fits all policy that works for our different communities.  Except spay and neuter.  That is a one-size fits all solution that really does work for every community in the world.



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    Ursula Hendel
    Founder
    Granos de Arena
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    Original Message


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