National Desexing Month

Every hour, 23 dogs and cats are euthanised in shelters and pounds across Australia. As many people are aware, the unrestricted breeding of cats and dogs results in more animals than there are homes available. People who have companion animals are in an ideal position to help curb the tide of unwanted pets.

That's why August has been declared National Desexing Month.

Working with almost 100 vets, the National Desexing Network (NDN) (an initiative of Animal Welfare League of QLD) has organised subsidies, discounts and special deals, that will make desexing a pet an affordable reality for many Australians, who may not have otherwise had the financial backing for the procedure.

Using the slogan 'Weapons of Mass Production!', National Desexing Month aims to remind people to desex their animals before the summer breeding season. Please click here to find an NDN vet close to you. Even if your beloved pets are already desexed, you may know of friends or family who would benefit from this worthwhile initiative. Please spread the word!

Not only does desexing eliminate any worry of finding homes for unexpected litters, desexed animals also display less anti-social behaviour (such as spraying or humping), are less likely to wander or fight, have lower risk of developing cancer of the reproductive organs, and generally live longer, healthier lives.

How you can help

• Please tell pet carers you know about National Desexing Month!
  
• Click here to read about common misconceptions regarding desexing of animals. Animals can be safely desexed at a younger age, and there is no health benefit in allowing one litter first.
• If you are thinking of bringing a new pet home please pledge to adopt, not to buy. For every pet bought at a pet shop, one more healthy animal faces death row in a shelter, and countless others are subjected to inhumane conditions in puppy farms. Your commitment will literally save lives.

• Ensure your pets wear ID collars and are microchipped to always ensure their safe return to you.
• Support 'pet shops' that only sell pet food and accessories, and thus don't add to the overbreeding problem.