Love your dog and neuter it!

Some pet's owners perceive themselves as advocates of humane treatment of animals (their pets to be precise), and indeed they treat their pets just like their own children and certainly in a very "humane" way. In the area I live, pet salons are always packed with patiently waiting pet's owners with their well-dressed chihuahuas and poodles. It is not uncommon to find little pekingeses wearing nice shoes being walked by their owners' domestic helpers. Without a doubt, people love their pets, and enjoy hearing all the nice comments about their pets' new hairstyles and outfits from their peer pet's owners. But almost all pet's owners I know have their pets neutered or spayed. The theory says there are lots of benefits of having your pets sterilized, and so neutering your beloved dogs and cats is very well justified. But is it really fair to the animals? Those justifications and benefits of neutering pets make sense to us as they are presented from our (human) point of view and out of our own convenience (including the most convincing argument of curbing the population of surplus animals).^1,2 We have the power to choose the way we treat these animals as long as we present our lofty justifications, but these poor animals have no say. As I read more about those so-called benefits, I feel less convinced and somewhat disgusted. Animals are born the way they are and they have the right to live the way nature has made them. I am sure the animals would stood up and object to being neutered if they possessed the same faculty of speech like us. You love your pets so much, but the first thing you do to them is to neuter or spay them! To see the real impact, do it to your own kids. Many of those so-called benefits apply to us too.

The overpopulation of homeless animals (those without willing adopters) is a real issue for our society, and our usual selfish logic (including fiscal consideration) will make sure that the problem if unresolved would cause tragic consequences to the animals.³ Then, neutering or spaying seems to be the best option for them. When we have to run into this dilemma, we perhaps don't have much choice but accept the evil. But please don't lie to yourself that you neutered your dogs because it was good for them.