Pets Under the Knife: Love or Harm?

Pets Under the Knife: Love or Harm?

According to Statista, as of January 2022, 53% of Malaysian reported owning pet. However, only some owners will spray or neuter their pets. It is because some people find it difficult to afford the cost of spaying or to neuter their pets due to financial or other factors.

Sterilization is the surgical removal of an animal’s reproductive organs. In males is called castration (involves the removal of the testicles), while in females is called spaying (consists of removing the ovaries and uterus). Sterilization is usually performed on cats and dogs but can also be done on other animals like rabbits.

Why is Sterilization necessary?

Every year, millions of unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized. Sterilization not only can prevent uncontrolled breeding but also helps to prevent health risks such as cancer or infection, as well as reduce many behavioral problems associated with the mating instinct.

Sad, but powerless

“Sometimes I see stray dogs and cats in my condo and I feel sorry for them.” She added: “a lot of the time they are unhealthy and you can clearly see that they might not have good legs or they have some big bellies and then they have fleas on them and so on. “

Wang Jing was a little sad about this situation, but she also stressed that the best prevention to reduce stray cats is to solve the problem at the source. "I hope that the government or some relevant organizations can neuter more stray cats, right? If they are not neutered, there will only be more and more stray cats, which is not good for other small animals."

Wang Jing’s cat

"Some low-cost neuter offers are a great way to go," says Vivian.

Vivian, the owner of three cats from Johor Bahru, and a volunteer for a pet welfare organization, believes sterilizing pets is a responsibility.

Vivian shares pet neutering activities

“Since .it is a one-time thing, you cannot decide not to do the neutering or spaying surgery due to the cost may be expensive. However, if you are determined to take good care of your pet, then you will give them a neutering or spaying surgery for better life quality. Vivian said.

She shared the price differences for pet neutering or spaying in different area. She pointed out that the cost in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur is higher than in other areas, while Johor Bahru or Malacca can have their pets neutered or spayed at a lower cost. It is worth noting some social charities also have animal neutering campaigns.

“I saw a campaign in Johor Bahru where the cost of neutering a cat was RM30 regardless of whether it’s a male or female cat, or many cats, they can afford it more easily. ” She added: “Malacca also has this kind of event, and even cheaper at RM5. But currently, I haven’t seen much of this event in Selangor or Kuala Lumpur area.”

“Last time, the cost of spaying my cat at the pet hospital located in Sungai Long was RM120,” Lu said.

This clearly showed that it is a large amount of money to spend on neutering or spaying for those people who have more cats and also who stayed in Selangor area.

"Their effort still very inadequate." Lu, Yu said.

“Some people don’t know the benefits of neutering or spaying their pet. They just think it’s a form of pet abuse. Therefore, the government and animal organizations need to promote more information about sterilization,” Lu said.

In Lu Yu's opinion,  the efforts the Malaysian government and society’s concerns are still inadequate. The government should do more activities to promote the spaying and neutering of pets and raise awareness about its benefits. Pet owners should also receive financial support from the government or relevant organizations.

Lu, Yu on government's inadequacy in pet neutering

Overall, neutering has many benefits for the health of animals and the welfare of society. While spaying and neutering may require some expense and time, it is a long-term benefit worth investing in. The government or animal protection organizations should provide more help and advocacy to help spay and neuter pets. Making our pets healthier makes our communities safer and more caring.