Spaying and neutering companion animals like dogs and cats is taken seriously all over the world. So much so, February 26 has been celebrated as World Spay Day. And contrary to popular belief, it is not just a process for animal birth control but has many health benefits, too
Team Heyvan
Did you know that one street dog in your neighbourhood could lead to 28,244 puppies in nine years? And a community cat could have 14 kittens in the same period?!
This is why spaying/neutering the companion animals is being taken very seriously world over. Bengaluru too, stands up for the cause. February 26 is being celebrated as the World Spay Day, with Doris Day Animal League (DDAL)–a US based NGO starting to celebrate this day from 1995.
Spaying refers to removals of ovaries and uterus of female animals while castration refers to removal of testicles of male animals. Neutering is a general term used to mean desexing animals. It is generally done for companion animals like dogs and cats which are also community animals. It is not just a process of animal birth control (ABC) but it has many health benefits, too.
On this day, CJ Memorial Trust and Citizens for Animal Birth Control (CABC)–two Bengaluru based non-profit citizens’ groups have kicked off an online campaign through Facebook and Youtube to spread awareness among pet lovers, breeders and citizens about neutering. They have also coordinated with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to promote neutering of streeties and pet dogs. The top nine vets of the city who are trained by the World Veterinary Service (WVS) have also pledged to perform safe and compassionate ABC, apart from five vets who are aligned with the municipality run vet hospitals.
Harini Raghavan, founding member of CABC said, “It is a virtual event using social media to create awareness about the positive impact of neutering with veterinarians, pet lovers and citizens. BBMP is also supporting the cause and has offered to extend help for neutering community dogs for free. Many vets across the city are already offering 20% discount to neuter pets at their clinics or hospitals and it is free for street dogs. This not only encourages pet parents and breeders to neuter the dogs in their homes but also citizens to neuter the dogs for free and promote safe ABC. It is a very strong message being sent out with an all-stakeholder congregation to support World Spay day.”
Private hospitals like Cessna, Bengaluru Veterinary Hospital, Precise Pet Clinic, Jeeva, Prakriti, Blue Ridge are some who have offered 20% discount for pet parents and breeders to get their dogs neutered for the next 30 days.
D. Randeep, special commissioner (animal husbandry) of BBMP also sent out his message on Youtube saying, “The municipality has been spaying and neutering street dogs in the city under KPC rules; and the Dog Breeding Rules and Pet rules also mandate neutering to control the ever burgeoning population of these companion animals; it is for their good health too. We not only support the activity organised by anyone to neuter dogs but will extend any help to all for the achievement of safe ABC.”
The Humane Society International-India launched Abhay Sankalp–an initiative to ensure peaceful co-existence between street dogs and communities they live in–saw representatives of 52 resident welfare associations and societies across Vadodara, Gujarat, sign up for the campaign. The NGO aims to reach out to 400 residential societies in India to get active on humane management of dogs and build responsible petizenry. The organisation has constantly neutered street dogs not only in India but has undertaken massive spaying campaigns in Mauritius and Philippines recently.
In Defense of Animals (IDA), another Mumbai based non-profit animal protection organisation, is organising a spaying campaign to go down to the grassroots level on World Spay Day. IDA India is spending Rs. 1,500 per dog to spay an animal in IDA India centres in Mumbai. It calls upon contributors to sponsor a dog for the entire spaying procedure which includes spay operation, seven-day meals, shelter and vaccination. Once these animals are declared healthy by its vets, these dogs and cats will be sent back to the location from where they were picked up. It has sterilised 1,62,220 streeties and 8549 cats in the last 22 years already.
