Guest Author - Mary Ellen Sweeney

It’s “Spay Week Ireland” and all pet owners are being reminded to neuter their pets. This is a national campaign initiated by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISPCA.

Publicized by TV3's Claire Byrne and TV PetVet, Pete Wedderburn, the message is loud and clear: spay or neuter your pets. A neutered tom has double the life expectancy, from 7 to 14 years!

Veterinary research is very clear that neutering the pets at an early age contributes to their overall health and longevity. Ireland is far behind England and Wales with 10 times—about 18,000 strays per annum---the destruction of healthy animals in pounds.

Male dogs that are neutered are longer lived, less prone to prostate and other cancers, and less aggressive toward other dogs. They are also less prone to leave home to pursue the females of the species. It’s a win-win situation. In many cases, the neutering is even subsidized by Irish Blue Cross, and with vets offering discounts in support of Spay Week Ireland (5/22 to 5/29), it’s a great time to stop “spring fever” before your pet becomes part of the problem that makes it necessary to put down so many innocents.

Trap, Neuter and Release' programs are in place in Ireland to help control stray cat problems. Their ear tips are notched at the same time to identify them later, so Ireland is pro-active in the control of strays. Now it’s time for pet owners to get on the bandwagon and help keep their pets home, safe and sound—and sterile. It’s affordable, it’s painless, and it’s the right thing to do!

Check the website at http://www.spayweekireland.ie for details of your nearest participating vet.