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michaelundinaeichhorn · 23-02-2010, 16:33

I am watching at spayed/neutered animals as a vet since more than two decades and did and do those surgeries myself. There are good reasons for this surgery and also very good reasons against which have to be seen at in every individual case because once you have the surgery done there is no way of making it undone.
In the German animal protection law the amputation of bodyparts without medical reason is strictly forbidden, to do it just because a hurricane may come one day is surely no medical reason. That there is no way to controle a freeranging cat is seen as a reason and as we have lots of cats that are allowed to live a normal cat-life involving leaving the house without the owner is seen as enough reason to castrate it, additional to the health problem of persisting heat in female not spayed cats. As we have almost no free running (not within the reach of the owner) dogs and no health problem in dogs that aren´t mating it is a difficult question in our country. I think to ask this questions is right. That some day some bodypart may get ill is no medical reason as long as there is no genetic mutation. Though these surgeries are done I do believe that you have to decide on every case looking at every point involved. I find it highly questionable from an ethical point of view to spay/neuter in general in a country where it is not usual that the dogs run free without their owner and therefor it is very easy to prevent unwished litters. It of course is different in countries where there a big amounts of stray dogs but in most parts of the US it is not even allowed to let your dog run of leash, and also in the UK straying dogs are not the normal way dogs are kept. That there has been a hurricane in the Caymans can´t be a reason to spay dogs in Maine, USA or Berlin, Germany.
That you have male and female dogs together that shouldn´t breed which each other and you can´t seperate them properly may be a reason.

Again, there are good reasons for castration but to do it simply on every individual that is not meant to go into breeding (from a strictly human point of view also) for me is unethical.

Ina

23-02-2010, 16:33	#23
michaelundinaeichhorn Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bad Dürkheim Posts: 2,249	I am watching at spayed/neutered animals as a vet since more than two decades and did and do those surgeries myself. There are good reasons for this surgery and also very good reasons against which have to be seen at in every individual case because once you have the surgery done there is no way of making it undone. In the German animal protection law the amputation of bodyparts without medical reason is strictly forbidden, to do it just because a hurricane may come one day is surely no medical reason. That there is no way to controle a freeranging cat is seen as a reason and as we have lots of cats that are allowed to live a normal cat-life involving leaving the house without the owner is seen as enough reason to castrate it, additional to the health problem of persisting heat in female not spayed cats. As we have almost no free running (not within the reach of the owner) dogs and no health problem in dogs that aren´t mating it is a difficult question in our country. I think to ask this questions is right. That some day some bodypart may get ill is no medical reason as long as there is no genetic mutation. Though these surgeries are done I do believe that you have to decide on every case looking at every point involved. I find it highly questionable from an ethical point of view to spay/neuter in general in a country where it is not usual that the dogs run free without their owner and therefor it is very easy to prevent unwished litters. It of course is different in countries where there a big amounts of stray dogs but in most parts of the US it is not even allowed to let your dog run of leash, and also in the UK straying dogs are not the normal way dogs are kept. That there has been a hurricane in the Caymans can´t be a reason to spay dogs in Maine, USA or Berlin, Germany. That you have male and female dogs together that shouldn´t breed which each other and you can´t seperate them properly may be a reason. Again, there are good reasons for castration but to do it simply on every individual that is not meant to go into breeding (from a strictly human point of view also) for me is unethical. Ina Last edited by michaelundinaeichhorn; 23-02-2010 at 16:36.