Ten's of Thousands of Puppies From One Dog; Spay Neuter Awareness

February has been a busy month in terms of pet awareness and action.  We've been communicating about several things throughout the month including Dog Training Education, Pet Dental Health, Spay/Neuter Awareness and Responsible Pet Ownership:

Me with just one of the hoards of puppies the shelter takes in every year

These are all important things to remind people about.  As a shelter volunteer, the one I probably communicate about the most is Spay/Neuter Awareness.  February is designated Spay/Neuter Awareness Month by the Humane Society of the Unites States (HSUS).

According to the Humane Society:

> The average female dog produces 2 litters per year, each litter containing 6 – 10 puppies. 

> If that one dog remains UNspayed and breeds for six years, that’s 72 to 120 puppies born! 

> If that dog’s offspring also remain UNspayed they could produce tens of thousands of puppies over a 6 year period! 

It's astounding to me that so many people still refuse to spay and neuter their pets.  Even though most shelters offer low cost, free, and mobile spay/neuter services, many people don't do it.  Is it culture, religion, fear, greed (breeding revenue) or just plain foolishness and disregard for animals that causes this resistance?  I wish I had the answer.

Recently, I was talking to my hairdresser about a camping trip she had been on with relatives.  They each brought their dogs on the trip, 3 dogs in total.  She told me that her dog, the only male, had been misbehaving while playing with the females and they had to lock him in the camper.