Adopt

Spay & Neuter

SPCA Recommends Spaying or Neutering Your Pet!

You can call Ohio Alley Cat Resource at (513) 871-0185 for a cat spay/neuter or UCAN at (513) 721-7387 for a low-cost dog or cat spay/neuter. If you’re not in the Greater Cincinnati Area, click here for a locator to find a clinic which will assist you and your pet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a spay?
A spay (ovariohysterectomy) is the surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries from the abdomen of a female animal.

What is the purpose of a spay?
Spaying is the only foolproof method of birth control for female dogs and cats. It is a permanent method.

Will spaying stop the animal from going into heat?
A spayed animal no longer goes through heat cycles. Female dogs normally come into heat about twice a year. Cats come into heat more often. Spaying ends several problems associated with heat, including spotting and the necessity of confining females to prevent the approaches of persistent males.

Are there other good reasons for spaying a pet?
The risk of mammary cancer is reduced if a dog is spayed before its first heat. Also, spayed pets cannot develop pyometra, a serious uterine infection.

Do pets gain weight after a spay?
Your pet will not gain weight if you provide a balanced diet.

Should dogs have at least one litter before being spayed?
Your dog does not need to have a litter to mature, learn obedience or become a good hunter.

What is a neuter?
A neuter (castration) is the surgical removal of the testicles from the scrotum of a male animal.

What is the purpose of a neuter?
Neutering is the primary method of sterilizing male dogs and cats.

What are the other benefits of a neuter?
The neutered dog is usually more compatible with people and easier to train. Neutering an immature cat usually prevents development of mating behavior and the obnoxious habit of spraying urine to mark territory around the house and yard. An un-neutered male dog or cat cannot control its mating instincts. If given the freedom to wander, such an animal may become hurt or lost and is almost certain to be responsible for unwanted litters.

Pet Overpopulation

Pet overpopulation is a serious problem. It costs the lives of millions of pets and costs communities millions of dollars a year.

Nationwide, the number of pets entering animal shelters is estimated to be 6 to 8 million. Only about 30 percent of dogs and 2 – 5 percent of cats are reclaimed by owners. Only about half of those remaining are adopted to new homes. The number of pets euthanized in shelters across the country is 3 to 4 million. (Estimates provided by The Humane Society of the United States.)

SPCA Cincinnati is working with other shelters and animal welfare organizations to reduce the number of unwanted litters that are born, increase the number of lost pets that are rehomed and increase the number of relinquished pets adopted to new homes.

Here are some of the things we are doing:

  • We spay/neuter cats and dogs that we adopt to new homes – more than 7,000 surgeries every year. We can spay/neuter as early as 8 weeks of age.
  • We provide humane education programs in schools, stressing the importance of spaying/neutering family pets.
  • Working with community partners, we help create comprehensive solutions to the problem of pet overpopulation through various community initiatives.
  • We collaborate with local, state and national organizations to save the lives of all healthy or treatable cats and dogs that.

Here’s what you can do to help:

  • Spay and neuter your own pets and make sure they wear identification.
  • Give generously. Your donations to SPCA Cincinnati are appreciated and are the basis for everything we accomplish on behalf of the animals. We are a private, nonprofit organization. We spend an average of $150 on every pet adopted, over and above the fee paid by the patron. Click here to make a secure online donation.
  • Tell friends and co-workers that the best place to adopt a pet is at a shelter. Wonderful animals, training opportunities and one-on-one behavior advice are available.
  • Never buy a pet from a pet store or sight unseen from an Internet site. These pets may come from large-scale breeding operations.
  • Support legislation to control commercial breeders.
  • Only purchase pet supplies from sources that do not sell animals, including small mammals, birds and reptiles.
  • Be informed about local laws and tell others.
  • Don’t support the greyhound racing industry. This cruel and inhumane “sport” is now illegal in 35 states.
  • Promote SPCA Cincinnati through your professional association, service club or your child’s Scout troop or 4-H Club. We welcome the chance to present educational programs.