By Tanya M. Ursual

From The Lanark Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) L.A.W.S., P.O. Box 156, Smiths Falls, ON, K7A 4T1:

Spaying and Neutering:

With the milder weather we are experiencing right now, it is time to think about having your animal spayed or neutered. Milder temperatures can trigger an animal to go in to heat earlier than expected. A reminder that the only way to ever stop the flow of unwanted and homeless animals is to ensure that every cat or dog is spayed and neutered. Here are some sobering numbers to drive home the importance of spaying and neutering. Lets paint a scenario assuming ten cats in Lanark County went into heat this week and became pregnant. The average gestation period of a cat is 63 days, and the average cat has a litter of four kittens. The kittens will nurse from their mom for a minimum of six weeks. If all ten cats and their kittens were brought to the shelter when weaned, LAWS would have an intake of 50 cats in early May. Our shelter only comfortably houses approximately 60 cats. Those ten unspayed female cats and her kittens would occupy 85% of the shelter’s capacity. And that is starting with only ten cats!!!! Please call your vet to book your pet’s spay/neuter surgery right now. Don’t delay!