HELP SAVE A LIFE!

Puppies and kittens are cute, but are they so cute that you want to see them killed?  Maybe not when you own them, but what happens when the person who got them from you doesn't want them anymore?  Millions of cats and dogs are killed at animal shelters every year (including purebreds). 

Please Spay or Neuter Your Pets!  Each day 10,000 humans are born in the US - and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all the animals. As a result, every year 4 to 6 million animals are euthanized because there are no homes for them.

Some people think that neutering their pet may hurt them. Actually, neutering helps prevent some harmful medical problems for animals and decreases their chances of getting cancer. Neutering also deters high-risk behavior such as roaming, getting into fights, and mating. So, neutering your pet doesn't hurt – it helps.

Don't use your cats and dogs to teach your children about the birds and the bees. Between 8-12 million companion animals are killed each year in America due to lack of homes. Don't let your pet have even one litter. Spay or neuter today.

Why did Spot cross the road? He loved the ladies. Unfortunately, his latest girlfriend lived on the far side of the highway. Spot never made it to the other side. About 80% of dogs hit by vehicles each year are un-neutered males. Fixing your pet decreases the urge to wander and increases his chances of living a longer, healthier life. Get your pet fixed.  Many cat lovers feel it is kinder for Kitty to be allowed outdoors. Statistics show that 90% of the millions of cats killed on our roads each year are unsterilized. Fertile cats tend to get into fights and wander more. So, please, if you must let Kitty go out, make sure he or she is fixed!

For every person that is born, 15 dogs and 45 cats are also born. You do the numbers … There aren't enough homes for them all. You can solve the problem. Spay or neuter today.  Only 1 in 9 cats and dogs born in the U.S. will find a home. The rest will be destroyed because nobody wants them. Could you choose which animal will live? It's a choice no one should have to make. But your local animal shelter makes this decision every day. You can help stop the killing. Spay or neuter your pet.  1 + 1 is 420,000. How's that? One female cat and one male cat and their offspring results in 420,000 kittens in 7 years. The solution to the problem of pet overpopulation is for you to spay or neuter your cat. 1 + 1 is 4,372. How's that? One female dog and one male dog and their offspring can produce 4,372 puppies in 7 years. The solution to the problem of pet overpopulation is for you to spay or neuter your dog.

Prevent A Litter - It's Good for You

• Spayed and neutered pets are better, more affectionate, companions.
• Neutered cats are less likely to spray and mark territory.
• Spaying a female dog or cat eliminates its heat cycle, which can last twenty-one days, twice a year, in dogs, and anywhere from three to fifteen days, three or more times a year, in cats. Females in heat often cry incessantly, show nervous behavior, and attract unwanted male animals.
• Spayed and neutered pets are less likely to bite. Unaltered animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than those that have been spayed or neutered.

Prevent a Litter - It's Good for Your Pet

• Spayed and neutered dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives.
• Spaying female dogs and cats eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer.
• Neutering male dogs and cats reduces the incidence of prostate cancer.
• Neutered animals are less likely to roam and fight.

Prevent A Litter - It's Good for the Community

• Communities spend millions of dollars to control and eliminate unwanted animals. Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem of dog bites and attacks. Animal shelters are overburdened with surplus animals.

What can you do to stop the suffering?

Spay and neuter your pet! In addition to saving lives, spaying and neutering can also drastically improve your pet's health and life expectancy. The idea that pets become fat or lazy when they are spayed or neutered is a myth. Sterilized pets lead healthier, longer lives. Spaying a female eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. Neutering a male reduces the risk of both prostate enlargement and prostate cancer. Neutering also will make your pet more affectionate and less likely to roam, get in fights, or become lost.

Most people ask their regular veterinarian to spay or neuter their pets. If you have trouble affording the procedures, try these steps:

1. Call your local animal shelter.

It may operate a clinic or know of a local clinic that offers subsidized services. It may also offer vouchers to have your pet spayed or neutered at a lower cost by local cooperating private veterinarians. You can find the name and number of your local shelter in the Yellow Pages of your phone book under "animal shelter," "humane society," or "animal control," or by calling Information.

2. Call SPAY/USA. SPAY/USA is a national spay/neuter referral network that may be able to direct you to subsidized spay/neuter clinics in your area. SPAY/USA can be reached at 1-800-248-SPAY (1-800-248-7729) or you can visit their website.

3. Call your veterinarian.

Your veterinarian may be able to work out special financing options for you. Remember that, even if you pay full price for the procedures, spaying or neutering is a one-time cost with a lifetime of benefits. Spaying or neutering your pet not only helps curb pet overpopulation but also reduces your pet's risk of succumbing to many health problems. It remains one of the best bargains in animal health care.

4. Visit the Pets 911 website.

Low Cost Spay And Neutering Options for you:

http://www.spayusa.org/ - 1-800-248-SPAY
SPAY/USA is a national referral service for the public regarding low cost spay/neuter programs. By calling their toll-free number, 1-800-248-SPAY, you will receive information about the nearest low-cost program and will be sent a certificate as proof you have gone through the SPAY/USA network. We have over 900 programs and clinics nationwide with about 7,500 top-notch veterinarians in the network as of mid-1998.

Pets 911 is an online resource for pet guardians and those looking to adopt a pet. Their online database can provide you with information on veterinarians, special clinics, and other spay/neuter resources in your area.

Low Cost Spay And Neutering Options for you: http://www.spayusa.org/
1-800-248-SPAY, SPAY/USA is a national referral service for the public regarding low cost spay/neuter programs. By calling their toll-free number, 1-800-248-SPAY, you will receive information about the nearest low-cost program and will be sent a certificate as proof you have gone through the SPAY/USA network. We have over 900 programs and clinics nationwide with about 7,500 top-notch veterinarians in the network as of mid-1998.

Feline Rescue
USA programs that provide low cost or free spay/neuter for pet cats and dogs, as well as strays and ferals are listed by state and in states which have many resources listed by county and by area code. There are also some US nationwide programs. Some programs work only with pets of people with low incomes, while others do not consider income at all but serve only pet cats -- or only feral (untamed) cat. Some other programs serve all kinds of people and cats. If that information was provided to us it is noted below the listing.

Happypets.org
Low cost or free spay/neuter programs in every state but North Dakota, South Dakota or Wyoming.

1-800-321-PETS
Call the Friends of Animals spay/neuter hotline, and they will send you a list of participating veterinarians in your area -and an order form for your low cost spay/neuter certificate

Do I Go Home Today?
 

My family brought me home cradled in their arms.
They cuddled me and smiled at me and said I was full of charm.
They played with me and laughed with me and showered me with toys.
I sure do love my family, especially the girls and boys.
The children loved to feed me, they gave me special treats.
They even let me sleep with them - all snuggled in the sheets.
I used to go for walks, often several times a day.
They even fought to hold the leash, I'm very proud to say.
These are the things I'll not forget - a cherished memory.
I now live in the shelter-without my family.
They used to laugh and praise me when I played with that old shoe.
But I didn't know the difference between the old ones and the new.
The kids and I would grab a rag, for hours we would tug.
So I thought I did the right thing when I chew the bedroom rug.
They said that I was out of control, and would have to live outside.
This I did not understand, although I tried and tried.
The walks stopped, one by one; they said they hadn't time.
I wish that I could change things, I wish I knew my crime.
My life became so lonely, in the backyard, on a chain.
I barked and barked all day long to keep from going insane.
So they brought me to the shelter but were embarassed to say why,
They said I caused an allergy, and then they each kissed me goodbye.
If I'd only had some classes, as a little pup.
I wouldn't have been so hard to handle when I was all grown up.
"You only have one day left." I heard the worker say.
Does that mean I have a second chance?
Do I go home today?

-Sandi Thompson

This story is all too typical of what occurs when pets are adopted.  For this reason, Nutmeg Miniature Poodles screens prospective homes very carefully to ensure that our puppies will be happy, loved and well taken care of.  We want you to have years of joy with your puppy and want your puppy to be, not just a pet but part of your family.  Poodles are loving, smart and want to be with their people in whatever they're doing.