Neutering NOT Org Why Non-Human Beings Should NOT Be Castrated By Ebon Lupus “Forced castration is immoral. In 1985, the Supreme Court recognized this when it ruled that involuntary surgical castration constituted cruel and unusual punishment.” ~ Atul Gawande MATURE SUBJECT WARNING This essay contains subject matter that may not be suitable for readers under 18 years of age. Herein is discussed the ethics of sexually mutilating non-human beings; thus mature sexual language and anatomical imagery are presented. If you are young, please consult with your parent or legal guardian as to whether or not you should be reading this. Introduction I have been told that I seem angry when I discuss the topic of neutering. It's true: I am angry... and frustrated with people who think because I believe sexually mutilating my friends is unethical that I'm being irresponsible and that people that believe as I do are to blame for a canine overpopulation problem and all the suffering this implies. Yeah, liars and control freaks make me angry. People trying to pass laws that require me to have unnecessary surgical atrocities performed on my friends, depriving them of their real nature makes me angry. Laws that require my friends to suffer the failures of others are not only unfair but they piss me off; and I call people who deprive my companions of their gonads, and me of my rights, Nazis! Until people establish a population control ethic for themselves I believe we're hypocrites to castrate non-human beings in the guise of doing what's right. With over 6.6 billion humans on the planet, and the human population increasing by one every two seconds, I think humanity needs to clean it's own house before thinking itself wise enough to manage the populations of other animal nations. Therefore, I apologize if my words tend toward a tone of frustration. I'm passionate about leaving my friends the way God and Gaia created them. There are hormones produced by the gonads that affect more than an animal's biochemistry than reproduction. Testosterone and estrogen; the sex hormones, affect mental attitude, social role, hair and bone growth, and internal organs like the heart, just to name a few. The human race (Homo sapiens; yeah, you're a species of animal... imagine that!) has been at war with Nature for centuries and where has it led? It has led to an overpopulated, polluted, depressing world of oppressive robber-baron dictators and apathy-riddled servile imbeciles nodding yes to everything they are told without giving it much thought at all. Actually I expect that given television, videogames, and entertainments, wherein grown men are paid millions of dollars to play children's games and beat each other to bloody pulps, that people aren't even capable of cognizant thought at all. This essay is intended to counter some of the pro-neuter propaganda pushed into the sleeping mentalities of our day. Therefore, if you want to read those same old lies about how wonderful neutering is I suggest you click some other search result, because here you'll find a different truth than people of blind-faith want you to read. Here's a simple fact, as I see it: People need to take more responsibility for their actions. People need to better educate themselves, because our teachers have lied to us. Yes... this webpage is based on personal bias, but all of those pro-neuter pages are based on personal bias too; or on what someone thoughtlessly reproduced because it sounded like "the right thing to do." Hitler thought killing Jews was the right thing to do. Was it? People need to learn more about non-human behavior and how to take responsibility for the whole creature; naughty bits and all. Only once you have learned all you can about this issue, made an informed choice, and then practiced your choice diligently do you deserve to be deemed as acting responsibly; whichever way you decide. I suppose the idea of people taking an active part in the thought process is just a wild pipe dream these days, and unlikely to happen. Most people seem too lazy and/or apathy-crazed to care about anything but themselves; and so few even care about themselves. A “pet” is like a piece of furniture; it's a thing to show off, maybe find some comfort with when in the mood; like chocolate, but otherwise forget about until it's time to yell at for something the poor beast can't possibly understand. For some people there may be no other means of preventing puppies than sterilization. I think of castration as a last resort... or as the Nazis put it, a "final solution." What makes me angry is there is an alternate method of sterilization, not nearly as invasive or detrimental to the health and development of a non-human being as castration, but radicals (Neuter Nazis) refuse to pursue this option because they enjoy the devitalizing effects castration has on the non-human. Also, there are few veterinarians skilled or intelligent enough to add tubal ligation and vasectomy to their short list of options. I'm hoping that more people will learn to think for themselves and make demands and that this paradigm will eventually change. My honest opinion is this: If you are not willing and able to care for the whole non-human being, then get a plushy toy to cuddle up with; a thing that neither needs suffer neglect nor unnecessary surgery to compensate for your inadequacies ---------- What Is Neutering? neutering, n, the sterilization of an animal [syn: fixing, altering, castration], also spay and geld (emasculate). Neutering (gonadectomy/orchidectomy) is the de-sexing of a male or female animal being, whereby the reproductive organs are entirely removed. In female beings neutering is called spaying, which literally means to cut out with a sword. In male beings neutering is called gelding. Both of these terms, spay and geld, include in their definitions an act of depriving one of virility and spirit; depriving them of strength or vigor; weakening them; devitalizing them. Male Castration Surgery (Geld) * Anesthesia is administered. * The Dog is prepped for surgery. * An incision is made in the skin in front of the scrotum. * The testicle is pushed forward and an incision is made in the subcutaneous tissue just big enough to squeeze it through * The tunics layer of tissues are incised to expose the testicle and associated structures. * The blood supply for the testicle is pulled out, sutured, and cut. * Each testicle is removed and the sutured tissues which once led to them are pushed back through the incision. * The two layers of tissues are sutured to close the incision. * A pain medication is injected and the Dog is taken to recovery. Female Castration Surgery (Spay) * Anesthesia is administered. * The Bitch is prepped for surgery. * A 3-5 inch incision is made in the abdomen, near the umbilicus, through three layers of tissue. * A spay hook or finger is used to pull a uterine horn through the abdominal incision. * The uterine horn is followed into the body cavity in order to locate the ovary. * Three clamps are used to prevent the blood supply to the ovary from hemorrhaging and the ovary blood supply is cut. * Sutures are applied to the ends of the blood supply and it's allowed to slip back into the abdomen. * Procedures 4 through 7 are repeated for the other ovary. * The extracted ovaries are used to pull the cervix out of the abdomen. * A clamp is placed at the cervix, the uterus is cut, and the ovaries and most of the uterus are removed. * The remaining portion of the uterus is sutured and placed back into the abdomen. * The three layers of tissues are sutured and the abdomen is closed. * A pain medication is injected and the Bitch is taken to recovery. For centuries people of agriculture have used castration as a means to devitalize and control non-human animals that were not intended for breeding. The practice of gelding stallions to make them tamer and easier to handle and train is well documented and widely practiced. Castrating a young bull achieves the same result, plus the added benefit of increased muscle mass; more meat for the marketplace. Down the centuries people have justified the castration of virtually every mammalian animal form, including human beings, themselves. Slavers frequently resorted to castration to calm slaves and make them more obedient. Castrated human beings are called eunuchs and are generally servile entities performing laborious tasks for wealthy masters. “Compulsory castration has been used as a punishment for crimes in all cultures dating back thousands of years. In Europe in the Middle Ages, the "eye for an eye" philosophy of jus talionis included castration as punishment for adultery or rape. In the 20th century, castration has been practiced in the Netherlands, Germany, Estonia, Iceland, Switzerland, and Scandinavia for rape, pedophilia, and homosexuality. After World War II, its use in Europe was dramatically scaled back, probably because of the increased awareness of humanitarian concerns prompted by the Holocaust.” ~ Atul Gawande ---------- Servile Playthings AKA “Pets” It seems that people want to own servile playthings. A servile plaything is like Caligula's living statues in Gore Vidal's gruesome screenplay; creatures enslaved to serve as ornaments or living toys; like semi-aware portraits or items of furniture. Servile playthings sit where you tell them to sit. They dance when you tell them to dance. They roll over, stand, beg, come, and go by the whims of their master dictator. Servile playthings are not deemed as having souls (Lacking a soul is often used to justify the mistreatment of others and no one can even show the soul exists.). Servile playthings are considered less than, rather then equal to. They have no rights and are often abused to vent the “superior” being’s frustrations. Servile playthings lack minds, sentience, intellect, feelings, and moral obligation, thus they may be killed on a whim... or surgically altered to change behavior; to carve away who they are. I don’t believe most people even think of their “pets” as living beings. “Pets” may be loved and treasured companions, but when it comes to the hard choices “Pets” are almost certainly expendable. Human life is always prized more highly; and human laws consider non-human animals as property, with little or no sentimental value. When a lawful settlement is made regarding the loss of a “pet,” recovery amounts to the “fair market value of the animal.” Which may amount to hundreds, rather then the millions of dollars awarded in similar human litigations. Tell the police that your dog was shot and they will likely shrug... if they didn’t shoot your dog themselves in “self-defense” for being too playful. People really think of “pets” as things; as property, bought and sold; as servile playthings. The “servile plaything” attitude is reflected in the idea that non-human beings should be clipped and tailored... fixed... to better adapt to life as eunuch servants. Beings lacking individuality or consent should have no gender either. Perhaps this is why people generally refer to non-human beings as “it.” Non-human beings should have no urges beyond those that are cute and servile. The cropping of gender, tails, and ears helps to carve our “babies” into perfect images of human desire. If non-human beings become too troublesome they may be taken out back and clubbed to death; or for the more “humane,” taken to a “shelter” for proper disposal; or taken to the vet and "fixed." When animal beings are surrendered to shelters, or captured by "dog control," they are lucky if they are saved “the needle” or sometimes carbon monoxide gassing by adoption. When rescued from death row (They usually have three to seven days before execution is carried out), and not yet sexually mutilated, then there is a neuter requirement written into their stay of execution orders. This can apply even if a canine is caught roaming and their owner comes to rescue them; do not let non-humans roam... it's an evil human world out there! Think of adoption as a reprieve; like a last minute call from the governor to stay the execution of a criminal... with an obligation that the reprieved one have it's gender gouged out. Now, what do you suppose the crime was? Bearing this human attitude in mind, that regard non-humans as mere things, it isn’t difficult to see why castration is such a popular method of control. Also, from some of the jokes I've heard people tell, as they take their servile playthings to the vet for castration, I'd say a degree of sadism is frequently involved as well. ---------- Boons of Castration Summary * Infertility (Breeding issues can be resolved with proper containment and anxiety calmed by gentling.) * Reduction of Some Prostate Problems (Enlarged prostate be treated with Finasteride at the time of diagnosis.) * Elimination of testicular cancer (There is a 1% chance of this cancer; about half the risk of fatal anesthetic shock or post operative complications, and it can be remedied at the time of diagnosis.) * Reduction of Mammary Tumors (Spay must be performed before the second heat cycle to be effective. Tumors may be removed by surgery when diagnosed with a good prognosis for recovery.) * Personality changes resulting in... * Decreased aggression (Can be remedied with socialization and obedience training.) * Decreased roaming (Can be remedied with proper containment.) * Decreased chance of being hit by cars and shot by angry female dog owners while roaming (Can be remedied with proper containment.) * Decreased urine marking * Prevents Pyometra (Death rate is less than 1%.) and Reduces Risk of Perianal Fistulas Infertility For many people the biggest boon of castration is that it leaves non-human beings incapable of breeding. When this unnecessary surgery is performed at very young ages it can terminate mating drive entirely, while in older dogs, especially those who have mated before castration, some mating urge may remain. Castration prevents an animal from procreating and deletes the production of sex hormones; estrogen in females and testosterone in males. Gelded canines are unlikely to “show pink” and perform riding up behavior. Spayed canines are less likely to raise tail and flex their vulva as they do in estrus. These, and other, natural behaviors embarrass owners who really don’t want an animal companion, but had rather have a piece of furniture to show off to their bourgeois friends. Proper containment (not allowing non-human beings to roam) is the natural solution to avoid puppies. This does, however, require that the human in charge exert involvement, effort, and study time on how to care for non-human companions. How unlikely this is though, as it requires responsibility; a thing most people seem incapable of. It's so much easier to have the servile plaything sexually mutilated, tie it up in the back yard or let it roam the neighborhood, and then forget about it as much as possible. In instances where sterilization is an absolute necessity, I recommend tubal ligation for females and vasectomy for males. This will leave the gonads intact enough to produce hormones; which serve a greater function than mere mating behavior. Note that with these procedures that estrus cycles will continue and male behavior patterns will not be affected. Also note that finding a veterinarian competent enough to perform these surgeries will be a chore. There are times when castration is medically necessary for continued health and life. Cervical, uterine, and testicular cancer are killers. A testicle that does not descend properly (cryptorchid) should also be removed, but this does not often require both testicles be removed. Castration, when medically necessary, is a lesser evil and should be employed for the health and safety of one’s companion; but should not be proactively employed. Prostate Problems An enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is the result of an over abundance of prostate cells in the central prostate. An enlarged prostate constricts the urethra, and thus the flow of urine, making it difficult to empty the bladder. Related disorders are prostatic cysts and prostatic adenocarcinoma. BPH is a common malady, affecting as many as four out of five intact dogs over the age of five years, with about a quarter of those affected requiring treatment. Symptoms include sanguinous (frothy) prostatic fluid, constipation, and difficult or painful urination (dysuria). BPH responds to castration at the time of diagnosis and to Finasteride treatment; with a 70% success rate. Finasteride inhibits the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which causes prostatic degeneration as cells die and reproduce themselves (apoptosis). Castration removes testosterone entirely. Note: The risk of a malignant tumor (prostatic adenocarcinoma) is increased in neutered dogs. BPH is much less life threatening and easier to treat than prostate cancer. Testicular Cancer Testicular tumors tend to be benign, not malignant, and may be safely treated at the time of diagnosis by castration. Thus, castration need not be employed proactively. Some breeds of canine are at a higher risk for cancer than others. The high risk breeds are: Golden Retrievers, Boxers, German Shepherd Dogs, Cocker Spaniels, West Highland White Terriers, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Schnauzers, Flat Coat Retrievers, Burmese Mountain Dogs, Great Danes, Greyhounds, and Standard Poodles. Note that mutts tend to be the healthiest dogs; suffering from far fewer maladies than those pure bred. Apparently the genetic abomination, caused by the selective breeding of arrogant humans, can be reversed as the gene pool is returned to normal. This effect may be due to genetic heterogeneity; also called hybrid vigor. Also at higher risk for testicular tumors are dogs in whom one or both testes failed to descend into the scrotum (cryptorchidism). These dogs appear to face a 13.6 times greater risk than other dogs. Additionally, dogs having suffered a hernia of the groin (inguinal hernia) have a 4.7 times higher risk. Mammary Tumors A puppy spayed before her first heat cycle (under six months of age) has a 0.05% chance of getting mammary cancer. If spaying is delayed until after the first heat then the risk increases to 7-8%. If spaying is delayed until after the second heat the risk increases to 25-26%. Mammary tumors generally appear after 2 years of age, and most frequently in bitches over 5 years old. Some breeds are at a higher risk for mammary cancer. These breeds include Boxers, Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, and Dachshunds. It is believed that pure breeds are at an increased risk for cancer and other health anomalies. Early detection is the best way to protect intact bitches. There are 8 to 10 teats along a bitch's belly. Tumors tend to develop more frequently in the teats near the hind legs. Frequently inspect each mammary gland by gently rubbing it. The gland should be soft and pliant without the presence of hard lumps. If lumps are discovered you should take the bitch to a veterinarian immediately for diagnosis and treatment. The longer any form of cancer remains untreated the more discouraging the prognosis gets. I believe that frequent massaging of the mammary glands may help to stimulate natural protections against cancer. I have no evidence of this; there are no studies, but still I gentle my bitches frequently as this seems like a natural preventative to me. If nothing else this procedure provides necessary opportunity for examination that could lead to early detection, and my bitches seem to enjoy the attention. 50% of canine mammary cancers are benign and are easily treated; usually by surgical removal. In malignant mammary tumors, 50% are worsened by the presence of estrogen, thus bitches diagnosed with malignant tumors should also get spayed at the time of diagnosis (unless they are quite old). Less than 5% of mammary tumors are of the "carcinoma" variety; which are painful, hard to treat, malignant cancers that spread rapidly. Thus the chance of an intact bitch getting a life threatening mammary tumor is still less than 1.5%. Female Reproductive Tract Cancer Spaying will remove all risk of this kind of cancer, but this kind of cancer is rare in bitches and account for 0.3% of all tumors in dogs. The risk of an intact bitch acquiring a reproductive tract cancer is only 0.5%; far less than the increased risk of bone cancer in a spayed bitch. Personality Changes Perhaps the most popular boon of castration is “personality changes.” Among the leading pro-neuter propaganda topics is how neutering acts to calm the beast and create a better behaved animal. Well, it’s true. Castration has been used for centuries to devitalize living beings and make them more suited to servitude and slavery. But once again if you just want something to cuddle up with then there’s always plushies. If you lack the mentality to live with and care for an intact animal, and want a piece of furniture, I highly recommend getting a plushie. You can find a wide selection of them at CoolAnimalStuff. But then plushies aren’t as impressive as a real, living, servile plaything, are they? Even something that’s been surgically altered to behave like a plushie is better to stroke an ego up against than a mere rag doll. Rather than make the non-human pay for your laziness, why not be a truly responsible person by learning about canine behavior and how to subvert mating urges naturally, while caring for the whole animal. You can find expert help to modify behavior though obedience training and proper socialization skills. For example, check out some books by Cesar Millan. You can try ethical treatments for poor behavior without resorting to unnecessary surgical debauchery... and leave castration as a "final solution." Prevents Pyometra and Reduces Risk of Perianal Fistulas Pyometra is an infection of the uterus and can be prevented by spaying. It has been determined that 23% of intact bitches get pyometra. Those diagnosed respond well to treatment, with a death rate of about 4%. The overall death rate of pyometra in intact bitches is less than 1%. Burmese Mountain Dogs, Rottweilers, Rough-Haired Collies, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and Golden Retrievers are at high risk for pyometra. Perianal fistulas are abnormal openings around a dog's anus. Studies have shown that castration may reduce the risk of this malady, but no statistical information is available. German Shepherds and Irish Setters are at high risk for perianal fistulas. ---------- Banes of Castration Male Specific Issues * Loss of testosterone; the male sex and growth hormone * Narrowing of the chest resulting in respiratory disorders * Failure to extrude the penis * Loss of testosterone is directly correlated to: heart disease and myocardial infarction, strokes and cardiovascular disease, senile dementia, osteoporosis and hip fracture * Increases risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma (by a factor of 1.6) * Increased risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment * Quadruples risk of prostate cancer(prostatic adenocarcinoma) Common Issues * Anesthesia shock and surgical complications * Post operative pain and infection * Personality changes * Increased risk of obesity (triple risk in males, double in females) * Tripled risk of hypothyroidism * Increased risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in medium/large breeds when neutered before 1 year of age. * Cerebellar cortical abiotrophy (a neurological problem) * Doubled risk of urinary tract cancer * Increased risk of orthopedic disorders and hip dypslasia * Increased risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations Female Specific Issues * Loss of estrogen; the female sex and growth hormone * Intervertebral disk disease * Myasthenia Gravis; muscle weakness * Altered moods leading to nervousness, separation anxiety, and digestive disorders * Doubled risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma * Five times the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma * Causes urinary “spay incontinence” * Three to four times the risk of urinary tract infections * Increased risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis Complications of Surgery Surgery poses a risk to an animal’s health. Surgery is often justified to treat illness, but castrations are generally performed on healthy animals. Risks of surgery include anesthesia shock, internal bleeding (hemorrhage), and inflammation and/or infection of the incision; dogs also have a tendency to chew sutures. Complication rates for castration surgeries have been reported as being 22% for females and 19% for males. Death due to complications from castration surgery is low, with a rate of about 0.11% (1 out of 900). Increased Risk of Osteosarcoma There is an increased risk of bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in castrated dogs of both genders. In studies the risk increased as the size of the breed increased and showed that dogs castrated before one year of age were 2 to 4 times more likely to get bone cancer. Rottweilers are particularly susceptible to this type of cancer, and studies showed that rottweiler males neutered prior to one year of age were 3.6 times more likely to get bone cancer (a 28.4% chance) and that rottweiler females were 3.1 times more likely (a 25.1% chance). Increased Risk of Hemangiosarcoma This is a common cancer in dogs of either gender and is a major cause of death in Salukis, Bulldogs, Irish Water Spaniels, Flat Coated Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Boxers, Afghan Hounds, English Setters, Scottish Terriers, Boston Terriers, and German Shepherds. In a case controlled study spayed bitches were found to have 2.2 the times higher risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma than intact bitches. A retrospective study showed that there was over five times the incidence of cardiac hemangiosarcoma in spayed bitches and 1.6 times the incidence in gelded dogs. Increased Risk of Prostate Cancer Neuter propaganda that says castrated dogs are at a decreased risk of prostate cancer is untrue. Prostate cancer is uncommon in canines to begin with, having an occurrence rate of about 0.6%. In studies performed in Europe and America, that actually used control groups, it was shown that castration increased a dog’s risk of prostate cancer by a factor of about four, to an occurrence rate of 2.4%. Increased Risk of Urinary Tract Cancer A study found that castrated dogs of both genders were twice as likely to get bladder or urethra tumors as intact dogs. These tumors are nearly always malignant but account for less than 1% of all canine tumors. breeds at elevated risk for this type of cancer are Airedales, Beagles, and Scottish Terriers, while German Shepherds have a lower than average risk. Testicular Cancer VS A Higher Risk of Other Cancers Castration of male dogs actually presents a hightened risk of death by cancer. Testicular cancer occurs in about 7% of intact male dogs. However the prognosis for complete recovery is very good, with a cure rate of over 90%. Statistics show, therefore, that less than 1% of intact dogs die from testicular cancer; which is less than half the occurrence rate of prostate cancer and/or osteosarcoma in castrated dogs. It is recommended that testicles that fail to descend be removed as they present 13.6 times the risk of developing testicular tumors. Increased Risk of Hypothyroidism Castrated dogs of both genders suffer three times the risk of getting hypothyroidism as intact dogs. This reflects the effects of sex hormones on the immune system. Hypothyroidism leads to lethargy, hair loss, and obesity. Increased Risk of Obesity and Diabetes A study found that spayed bitches are at twice the risk of obesity of intact bitches and that gelded dogs have three times the risk for obesity. A study in the UK found that 21% of dogs surveyed were classified as obese. Some studies found that there was twice the occurrence of diabetes in gelded dogs as in intact dogs. Other studies showed no change either way. None of the studies showed bitches to be at a higher risk, spayed or unsprayed. Increased Risk of Adverse Vaccine Reactions In a retrospective study spayed bitches were 30% more likely to suffer adverse effects to vaccination than intact bitches and gelded dogs where 27% more likely to suffer adverse effects. Increased Risk of Urogenital Disorders Urinary incontinence is so common in spayed bitches it’s called “spay incontinence.” Studies show that from 4-20% of spayed bitches will get incontinence while only 0.3% of intact bitches suffer this malady.” Spayed bitches are 3 to 4 times as likely to develop urinary tract infections as intact bitches with an even higher risk for those spayed before 5 ½ months of age. Depending on the age at the time of surgery; the younger the more problematic, spay causes deformation of the external genitalia; including recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis. Increased Risk of Orthopedic Disorders Surgical removal of the ovaries can result increased rate of remodeling of the pelvic bone and result in hip dypslasia. Spaying was also found to cause bone loss in the spine. Castration of immature dogs harms the development of bone growth, causing certain bones to grow longer then they normally would. This can result in narrowing of the chest bones putting a strain on the cardiovascular system, and in legs growing out of proportion, causing gait difficulties. Castrated dogs have twice the chance of getting cranial cruciate ligament ruptures; this may be associated to obesity. ---------- Ethics of Castration Why am I against neutering my companion animal? Well, the basic answer is pretty simple: I don’t want to be neutered myself; I don’t want my gonads mutilated... I don’t want to lose my gender. I think on my companion animals as friends. Subjecting them to something that I myself could not tolerate just doesn’t seem very friendly to me. It’s as simple as the Golden Rule. People say, “but animals don’t think like that, they don’t care if they are neutered or not.” I do not subscribe to this theory because neutering alters many behavioral and physical characteristics; it must therefore alter attitudes and drives. Neutering devitalizes an animal person and a lot of people see this as an advantage because it makes the animal person easier to control. Spay has been shown to cause nervous disorders in Bitches, resulting in worsened separation anxiety and even digestive issues. In Wolves, a spayed female’s scent changes and thus they need to be separated from their pack or they could be harassed to death by pack members because they are viewed as outsiders. Billions of years of trial and error have gone into the complexity of living organisms. If gonads were simply isolated organs of reproduction then removing them would not be such a consequential issue; but these organs serve a complex interrelated function, involving mental and physical development. Sex hormones regulate many biological processes other than reproduction and have a bearing on social interaction between creatures themselves. Human beings are not wise enough to understand but a mere fraction of the methodologies of God and Nature; to presume such is the folly of fools. People haven’t a clue what our animal companions may think of neuter or how their animal friends may regard themselves after being de-sexed. Another reason I’m against neuter is because people keep telling me that I’m irresponsible for keeping intact animal beings. People seem to use the sexual mutilation of their “pets” as a soapbox to stand on and hoist up their egos. They might as well say, “Oh, I’m better then you because I had my dog’s sex gouged out!” Bob (your) Barker’s “be a responsible pet owner, have your dog or cat spayed or neutered” is a perfect example of how people try to guilt-control others into thoughtless acts of barbarity. For those of you living under a rock, Bob Barker was the famous game show host of “The Price is Right.” The fact is his slogan was not even intelligent; spay and neuter are two words that mean the same thing. Population control of domestic animal persons is a serious issue, as is the population control of human animal persons, which are totally running amok! Maybe human beings should do first by example and get themselves castrated first! Through years of observation I have determined that people do not want a dog... people want something that looks like a dog. I am NOT irresponsible for keeping my companions intact. To the contrary I am MORE responsible. To care for an intact animal person and prevent them from mating requires a good deal more responsibility that most people possess. This is why neutering is so popular; people are lazy and would rather surgically carve their canine into a servile plaything than deal with a whole being. Well, fine... if your ethic is the Descartian ideal that animal beings are just soulless machines and the only way you can manage to prevent superfluous life is to go out and neuter your “pet,” then so be it, but don’t look down your nose on those of us who choose not to do this by calling us irresponsible! Another thing that troubles me about neutering involves the radical people I call Neuter Nazis. These people think on themselves as much better than thou. These hypocrites frequently operate “animal shelters” and “rescues” while breeding animal persons themselves. Neuter Nazis are snoods that want to know everything about everyone and snoop into their lives, under the guise of looking for a good home, while thinking they know what’s best for everybody. Control freaks and dictators, the lot of them. Many of these people are feminists who, I believe, get off on the power trip of lopping of a dog’s balls! These people develop adoption contracts the size of telephone books... which are hardly legal and impossible to make binding. These contracts demand neuter as a prerequisite of adoption regardless of the adopting person’s ethic or spiritual beliefs. What is important to Neuter Nazis is a political agenda, NOT the health and welfare of animal persons. Note that castration is considered immoral by Judaism and Islam and that there are laws against castration in the Old Testament of the Bible. Leviticus 22:24: “And that which is mauled or crushed or torn or cut you shall not offer unto the Lord; nor should you do this in your land.” It seems there were moral beings in ancient times having great consternation against acts of castration. ---------- Neuter Propaganda The “Right Thing” To Do Whenever a special interest group wants a certain something they spread propaganda designed to promote it. There’s no difference in the animal companion community. The fact is that there are a lot of domestic animals put to death because people can’t cope with all of them. This is the big guilt trip this propaganda is designed to inspire and it is used to push people into spaying and castrating their companion animals. What about the millions of animals killed as food, most of whom have dramatically worse living conditions than a superfluous dog or cat? These animals are sentient too... meaning they have emotions and feel the things human beings subject them to. Killing for food is, however, a natural process that Nature demands of many beings, especially predators, so I’ll not question the act of killing for food... although tormenting an animal to death IS evil... and people do this a lot in industrialized ranching. Killing an animal for no reason other than because the creature is superfluous and because killing is convenient is not civilized in my opinion. This is evidenced by the fact that civilized people don’t kill each other this way or for similar reasons... we don’t round up our transients and hungry multitudes and kill them. People have an “it’s just a dog” mentality... people put their own kind above all other living things and justify their acts by contrived philosophy and religious dogma. This is done regardless of what an animal being may think or feel and without any respect for how they want to live just as much as we do. So the right thing, it is said, is to keep animals from reproducing, and the easy solution to this is to surgically alter them so they can’t reproduce. This may be justified, but neutering is just one way of achieving this goal. Neutering is an invasive procedure that drastically affects an animal’s biological processes. There are alternatives to this from as simple as proper containment to tubal ligation and vasectomy. These are much less invasive and respectful, but the problem is that people are brainwashed into this “be a responsible pet owner, have you dog or cat spayed or neutered” paradigm... and because veterinarians make so much profit from these procedures, they rarely suggest the alternatives - or even explain the risks. Health Concerns This is a very valid issue. There may be evidence to support improved longevity and health associated with neutering. I won’t disrespect those who neuter for this reason. I will say that I personally do not trust the source of this data due to the bias of those who provide it. I have NEVER seen an unbiased study where there was proper scientific methods implemented to show altered verses non-altered canines over a lifetime period with records showing the actual health consequences of each group. Without such an unbiased report I must conclude, being an acute observer of human nature, the facts commonly made public are the propaganda of Neuter Nazis to support and justify their politics. In short, I don’t trust them to tell the truth. I have a thirteen year old Dog who is intact and is the picture of health and happiness. I think ANY animal can get sick and ALL will eventually suffer the effects old age unless they meet a fateful early end. Face it... Nature wants us dead... that’s where life leads us all. I had rather put my trust in the fact that life developed over millions and millions of years of trial and error and that this is as good as it gets. Seeing what human interference has wrought upon our earth I simply do not trust the wisdom, or lack of it, to surgically edit such a wondrous creation. Pressure People are pressured into neutering their companion animals for many reasons: * Animal rights groups and radical anti-breeding groups. * Breeders who want to have more control over where people can acquire animal companions. * An increasing number of landlord/tenant policies and municipal ordinances, which should have nothing to do with personal choice. * I’ve seen a movement for mandatory neuter law... this is nothing less than fascism! There’s a tendency for people who choose NOT to sexually mutilate their companion animals to be looked down upon and I’ve even been insulted and declared irresponsible because I refuse to go with this flow. This pressures a lot of people into neutering without fully understanding that they are surgically altering another living being permanently and taking away the creatures sex. There are alternatives, but they aren’t even discussed. To me this too is a form of pressure toward neutering. In my opinion all these things combined is an attitude toward the forced neutering of companion animals... a big brother attitude... and unless we resist this paradigm there may, indeed, be written more laws telling us what we can and can’t do with our animals. Modified Behavior This is often a big selling point for neutering: A neutered animal will be easier to control, wont rove, wont enter heat (estrus), wont mark, will be less aggressive, will smell better, and etc. Some of these things may indeed be true, and for a lot of people they are good reasons to sexually mutilate their “pets.” I regard these reasons as selfish acts of laziness and vanity, however. When someone desires to carve another being into what they want them to be, what I see is a control freak... I see someone who can’t love another for who they are... I see someone who must change another to suit themselves. I consider people who would cut into someone they call a friend and tear the flesh and sex out of their bodies, for this reason, a vandal who wants a slave... a servile plaything to show off to their friends and to make up for something they lack in themselves. These are, of course, my personal opinions and a lot of folks will take exception to them. Also, in my opinion, someone who wants a servile plaything puppet sown to their whim and specification would do better to get a plushie (a stuffed toy animal), rather than subjecting a living being to suffer the knife for their vanity and lack of ability to love and care for the whole living being. Could There Be A Conspiracy? From the way Neuter is pushed as the ONLY responsible way to control domestic animal overpopulation, I sometimes feel there’s some kind of conspiracy in the works. Veterinarians can perform tubal ligation of vasectomy, which are less invasive techniques than neuter, and which allow the production of estrogen and testosterone, thus allowing an animal’s normal urges and development, however few of them offer this alternative. I also wonder if breeders haven’t been responsible for so much of this push to neuter every canine that moves in order to create a market for their puppy-milled stock. Just some things to think about from one who has found that human beings don’t always reveal the ulterior motives behind their actions. ---------- Neuter Nazis! I call radicals of pro-neutering “Neuter Nazis.” I call them this because they have an elitist disregard for the rights of others. They are control freaks who's mantra says that if you don't do it our way then you are wrong; not only are you wrong, you are responsible for all unwanted dogs and their collective suffering. Neuter Nazis are against free choice; you are relieved of all choice when dealing with them. If you want to adopt one of the servile playthings unlucky enough to get “rescued” by them, you'd better live in a mansion as secure as Fort Knox... and be prepared to sign away ALL your rights to make decisions for your ward. For not only are you required to sign a contract that your new servile plaything get neutered, but at anytime and for any reason Mien Rescuer may decide that your privacy is reascended and your ward is repossessed. Neuter Nazis are of the opinion that those who would adopt an abused or neglected woof is no better then the abuser or neglecter the woof was rescued from; and this distrust and disrespect is apparent at every point of the adoption process. Thus, persons wanting a companion non-human without the rigors of interrogation, humiliation, and sexual mutilation, may feel better to purchase a woof from a breeder. I think this is why so many “rescues” end up being “put down” in shelters; because there's a lack of perfect homes with perfect drones that will kiss up to the Neuter Nazi ego. I have been criticized for the term “Neuter Nazis.” I've been told that it's disrespectful to Jewish people. I think that this is absurd. As I see it, being compared to non-human beings is a compliment, not an insult, especially if being compared to canines. Nazis were evil control freaks who treated others as slaves, to exploit and kill for their own pleasures and bigotry. I see the radicals of pro-neuter in this same light. On 23 June 1942 Viktor Brack wrote the following letter to Himmler: “Dear Reichsfuehrer: Among 10 millions of Jews in Europe, there are, I figure, at least 2-3 millions of men and women who are fit enough to work. Considering the extraordinary difficulties the labor problem presents us with I hold the view that those 2-3 millions should be specially selected and preserved. This can however only be done if at the same time they are rendered incapable to propagate. About a year ago I reported to you that agents of mine have completed the experiments necessary for this purpose. I would like to recall these facts once more. Sterilization, as normally performed on persons with hereditary diseases is here out of the question, because it takes too long and is too expensive. Castration by X-ray however is not only relatively cheap, but can also be performed on many thousands in the shortest time. I think, that at this time it is already irrelevant whether the people in question become aware of having been castrated after some weeks or months, once they feel the effects. Should you, Reichsfuehrer, decide to choose this way in the interest of the preservation of labor, then Reichsleiter Bouhler would be prepared to place all physicians and other personnel needed for this work at your disposal. Likewise he requested me to inform you that then I would have to order the apparatus so urgently needed with the greatest speed. Heil Hitler! Yours, Viktor Brack” (From “The Nuremberg Medical Trial” by Klaus Dörner) So what is the difference between the idea expressed in this letter and that expressed by radical neutering advocates? Sure, keep your servile playthings and exploit them for your purposes, but they must be sterilized and it's irrelevant whether they care or not. The only difference I can see is that canines are considered less than human by Neuter Nazis... kind of like African American's were considered less than human until a HUGE civil war led the way to a degree of enlightenment in the United States. Unfortunately there will always be people who put themselves above others for the thrill of control, power, and a false sense of security to ease an insecure mind. Then we have people like Ingrid Newkirk of PETA giving us insight into their real agenda: “...But as the surplus of cats and dogs (artificially engineered by centuries of forced breeding) declined, eventually companion animals would be phased out, and we would return to a more symbiotic relationship -- enjoyment at a distance.” The real agenda is doing away with companion non-human beings all together. Or maybe it's the breeder's agenda of being the only source of non-human companionship; even after paying $300+ for a servile plaything you have to sign a contract to castrate it! Or maybe it's the veterinarian's agenda of brainwashing people into unnecessary surgical procedures under the guise of being “responsible.” In any case, guess where the Neuter Nazis are leading us? Down the road to losing our individual right to choose and care for our companion non-humans as we deem appropriate; down mandatory castration road. ---------- Canine Mating Behavior Domestic canines are selectively bred Wolves (Canis lupus). A domestic canine's courtship and mating behavior, when not interfered with by human beings, remains remarkably similar to their wild canine counterpart. For this reason here is explained how Wolves behave during the courtship and mating process, in order to give insight into original instinct and natural social urges doing their work. Wolves, both male and female often disperse from their birth pack and wander on their own until the opportunity or urge to take a mate presents itself. Also, a lone male may wander on a pack's periphery until he is able to lure away a young female and seduce her... or the female will wander off to tempt him. In whatever way dog meets bitch, the greeting ritual is usually tense. Violence is possible when unintroduced Wolves meet each other for the first time. There is a degree of distrust and suspicion on both sides. When seducing a female away from her pack there is always the possibility that pack's alpha dog might take exception to a strange male in his territory and strike out against him before daughter and suitor can properly meet. Upon greeting, both Wolves stand tensely shoulder to shoulder, with fur bristled, tails out and wagging, and ears erect as they venture a sniff of each other's nose and muzzle. As they get to know each other better there may be some play posturing; bowing, pouncing, leaning into, and then tail, genital, and anal sniffing. This progresses into romping, running, licking, and nuzzling, by which time the greeting phase is done and courtship begins. Courtship is a bonding phase whereby a bitch and dog get to know each other intimately and a mutual emotional attachment develops. This bond may become so strong that the pair will become mates for life. However, unlike the romanticism anthropomorphized by human beings, lifetime relationships are more a thing of opportunity than absolute. Many things can happen in the wilderness to push even the most mutually dedicated lovers apart; such as rivalry between Wolves, injury, illness, or death by any number of causes. As courting progresses there comes playful attempts to mount from the front or side, mutual licking of muzzle, anus, and genitals, parallel running which includes nuzzling under the other Wolf's jaw or ear, and the sideways pricking of the ears sideways while in each other's presence. If she hasn't already, the bitch eventually enters a period of bleeding and frequent urination called proestrus, which lasts for 7 to 10 days during which her vulva will swell significantly. Following proestrus she will enter actual estrus and blood may be replaced by a clear or yellowish discharge having a very erotic effect on the male; it may smell like rotten meat to humans. Nuzzling or sniffing the croup of the tail while in estrus may cause her to flag; that is, lift her tail up to the side and assuming the "lordosis" posture to encourage mounting, intromission, and coitus. Estrus lasts 4 to 7 days during which time the bitch is insistent that her dog mate with her over and over as often as possible. The final stage of estrus is called diestrus, and like proestrus lasts 7 to 10 days. During diestrus the bitch will be unreceptive to mating and may sit down or get grumpy with the dog if he attempts to mount her. During and after mating the dog and bitch will spend much time, cuddling, playing, and hunting together, until seven or eight weeks have passed when the bitch loses interest in her mate for a while as she prepares the den and whelps their litter of pups 61 to 63 days after conception. Wolves only mate once a year, in the wintertime. Domestic canines may enter estrus two or three times a year. For complete canine breeding information see “Canine Breeding and Reproduction” Presented by www.aces.edu Male Canine Reproductive Anatomy The male genitalia consist of a fur covered scrotum composed of thin, dark colored skin. The scrotum contains the testicles and has developed to keep them cooler than the internal body temperature to allow for production of spermatozoa (You may like to read about spermiogenesis elsewhere for more about this process.). From the scrotum extending along the lower belly is the prepuce; this is commonly called the sheath. The prepuce is a fold of fur covered flesh that protects the penis. The penis is a highly sensative fleshy organ that extends from the sheath as it fills with blood during sexual arousal. The penis is used to penetrate and insiminate the female during copulation. The canine penis contains a bone called the Baculum Bacula; also called the OS Penis, which aids in penetrating the female's vulva. When canines copulate the male's erection occurs after penetration; rather then before, as with human beings. Toward the base of the penis is the bulbus glandis; commonly called the knot. The bulbus glandis swells into the female's vagina in order to tie the male and female together during coitus. The ability to "tie" prevents the mating pair from parting until after insemination has taken place. In addition to mating function and urination, the penis is also a scent gland, used in scent marking. It is believed that canine urine contains a pheromone, or scent, unique to the individual animal and that other canines smelling this mark can identify the animal from which it originated. In wild canines a male's testicles tend to shrink when out of mating season, accompanied by the loss of sexual appetite. This rarely happens with domestic dogs, however, as domestic bitches enter estrus at random times throughout the year. Female Canine Reproductive Anatomy And Copulation Female canine genitalia are for the most part internal. The external labium (lips) of the vulva occupies approximately the same physical location on the body as the scrotum does on a male canid. When the bitch enters estrus, the vulva becomes hot and puffy; hence the term "in heat". This puffy/swelling, along with the pheromones produced in the vagina during estrus, this makes the female attractive to males and is when the bitch is physically ready to mate. The bitch's puffy vulva is shaped so that the tip of the dog's penis easily hooks into its hood to be directed up into the vagina. During copulation the male rapidly thrusts his penis into the female's vagina. At this point the penis is still not erect; the OS penis makes the dog's penis firm enough to penetrate the bitch without an erection. The dog shifts his weight from one leg to the other while thrusting his penis into the bitch's vagina. The dog will buck until he has driven the bulbus glandis potion of his penis deep into the bitch. Once penetration is fully achieved the male's penis is in position it fills with blood, expanding the bulbus glandis, and tying the male's penis into the female's cervix. The bitch's vagina may undulate to help stimulate the dog to erection to achieve coitus. Once coitus is achieved, the female's vaginal sphincter muscles tighten around the male's bulbus glandis to hold it firm as she pulls away forward, triggering the dog's ejaculation of semen into her uterus. In the initial 30-50 seconds of the tie, the male deposits only clear seminal fluid. Once actual orgasm is achieved, a cloudy, somewhat thicker, sperm bearing semen is ejaculated. After insemination takes maybe 30 seconds to a minute, after which the ejaculate returns to a clear state and continues to pump forth until the tie breaks. The canines may remain tied for from 5 to35 minutes. ---------- Canine Gentling WARNING: This section will likely freak out and offend a lot of people. Herein I express controversial opinions regarding the care of intact companion animals. I don’t care what people think... the health, safety, and happiness of my friend is the paramount issue and I put this issue way before the dogma of an insecure multitude. I include these views for like-minded people. Non-human animals are biologically similar to humanimals; if they were not, then medical science would not exploit them in research projects to test drugs and processes intended for use in furthering human medicine. Our biological similarities ARE a FACT; whether you choose to believe it or not... whether you choose to discount it with the dogma of a religious/philosophical agenda or not. Non-human animals (especially mammals) breathe, pulse with blood, feed, digest, mate, and reproduce in much the same way as human beings... and to fulfill their biological requirements they have been instilled with a similar mind responding to stimuli with pleasure and pain and with emotions such as love and fear. Non-human animals ARE sexual beings! To fully care for an intact companion animal is a deeply personal and intimate experience which requires great love, patience, and understanding. This way of providing for your companion is profound and atypical of human beings in general... it’s not for everyone... in fact; it’s only for a select few who have a deep spiritual and/or emotional connection to their animal friends. SWo if you do not want to read about intimate, sexual, contact with an animal being, I urge you to ignore this section. First of all, I’m not going to suggest that you have sex with non-human animals. What I am suggesting is that you realize that animal beings have drives and needs that human society would like to ignore; a fact that is evident in the need people have to de-sex animals so these behavior characteristics are edited away. There are certain times when non-human animals should be shown an intimate touch to relive the sexual stress biology imposes upon them. I think we ALL need these things and long for them sometimes. I believe animals are no different in this regard than human beings. So, what follows is my suggestion for special care if, and only if, the animal is receptive to such tenderness. Special Care for Intact Dogs (Males) Males are generally easier to care for than females. They do not get pregnant, don’t have regular biological breeding cycles that alter their moods, neither do they have maternal drives. dogs do however have an intense sex drive, which becomes quite apparent when they smell a bitch in estrus, or sometimes when they’re excited by an encounter with another canine of either gender. When aroused dogs become playful and attempt to mount and grapple with their paws. People are generally embarrassed and discourage dogs when they do this. He’s usually called a bad dog and humiliated for being what he is; he’s basically punished for enjoying his life. People fail to understand that other beings have their own concept of what enjoyment is as they inflict their dogma-affliction upon them. Humans tend toward control fetish... and have devised all kinds of rules to compensate for sexual and emotional insecurities. People expect all other creatures to respect their purely contrived and unnatural notions. Finding ways to let dogs release pent up urges is humane... it’s an act of love. It’s up to you what you do with this insight into canine behavior. True love is the pleasure found in another’s joy - and is free restraints. To relieve mating stress in a dog, gently stroke his sheath. I suggest the use of a surgical non-latex glove, although you may use your bare hand if you want. Just make sure your hands are clean and your fingernails have been trimmed to avoid any risk of infection. If the dog enjoys this attention he may buck his hips and attempt to mount and grapple you with his paws. You should perform this activity seated and allow him to grapple you if he wishes. If he shows any distress or reluctance, immediately stop and give him a scratch behind the ears and apologize in a relaxed tone. If he enjoys the attention, however, quickly press his sheath back as he bucks to expose his “knot,” the bulbus glandis at the base of his penis. If you don’t do this quickly his knot may swell inside the sheath and cause discomfort. When dogs mate, the knot is what swells within the bitch and ties them together. The knot usually needs to be pulled in order for the dog to achieve full orgasm. When a dog climaxes, he will discharge thin cloudy semen and may grunt pleasantly and dance his hind legs. He may continue to orgasm for several minutes so long as pressure is applied behind the knot. He may try to twist around so that his penis extends straight back between his hind legs, this should be allowed for it’s a normal function during mating. After a few minutes release his penis and allow him to lick himself. His erection will then diminish, usually within a few moments. In addition to the pleasure your woof may experience from this attention, I believe allowing the seminal vessel to expel semen clears the reproductive system of materials that may be carcinogenic and contribute to certain cancers. Special Care for Intact Bitches (Females) A bitch will enter estrus every 4 to 12 months, depending on the breed and genetic considerations. The average cycle for domestic bitches is 6-7 months. Full blooded Wolves enter estrus only once a year, usually in the winter. Estrus begins with a period of bleeding and frequent urination called proestrus. This condition lasts for 7 to 10 days and during this time the bitch will remain unreceptive to the attentions of dogs, although dogs will be very interested in her. During proestrus her vulva will swell significantly. Following proestrus the bitch will stop bleeding and a clear, or sometimes yellowish, fluid which may smell something like rancid meat, will then moisten her vulva. During full estrus, or heat, scratching the croup of her tail will cause the bitch to flag; that is, lift her tail to the side and assume a mating posture (lordosis) so that she may be mounted by a dog. Heat lasts 4 to 7 days and the bitch will do anything necessary to mate during this time. BEWARE: canines can even mate through fences, so be certain the bitch is absolutely isolated from ALL dogs until the heat cycle passes. The final stage of estrus is called diestrus, and like proestrus lasts 7 to 10 days. During diestrus the bitch will be unreceptive to dogs and will snap at them or sit down if they attempt to mount. During full heat a bitch will find relief if you massage her vulva and finger her. I suggest you use a surgical non-latex glove (some bitches might be allergic to latex). Lightly coat the finger of the glove with water-based vaginal lubricant. To gentle a bitch, gently work a finger into her vulva. You may need to feel around carefully to find the entrance to her vagina, which will be toward the upper area of her vulva hood, in the standing position. Simply work your finger in and out of her vagina for a few minutes and stop if she ever shows the slightest reluctance or discomfort. You may feel a hard bead inside her vagina (clitoris) that may make the bitch buck when touched; some bitches enjoy this and will find pleasure by humping against your finger, others may not. You need to observe the posture and expression of each individual bitch and learn what they enjoy. When complete she may perform a fascination display; which means she may run in circles, maybe flip around or do summersaults, and behave enthusiastically. You may repeat this activity three or four times a day until she becomes unwilling to participate as she enters diestrus. Some bitches enjoy this stimulation even when out of estrus and some bitches will become very passionate about being gentled and nuzzle or woo for it regularly. It is my firm belief that bitches should have their nipples gently massaged to reduce the risk of mammary cancer. This should be performed once or twice a day several times a week. ---------- Alternate Altering Repression of Heat Cycle Ovaban (megestrol acetate) and Cheque drops can repress a Bitches heat cycle. Both have very serious side-effects so I DO NOT recommend them. Proper Containment This is the most natural and least invasive method of preventing mating; keeping your male and female animals away from each other so they cannot copulate. This can require a lot of attention on your part, especially if you have a male and a female companion. You need to know how to read the signs when your Bitch is entering estrus and be prepared to move her to an isolated area and keep her there during heat. You should also be ready to provide massage therapy to calm her anxiety during heat and the lactation of pseudopregnancy to remove carcinogens from her nipples that may cause breast cancer. Dogs should also be relieved occasionally, and will be very appreciative of this, especially when the scent of estrus is in the air. These things require an uncommon, deeply devoted, human companion, so keeping intact animals isn’t for everyone. “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong.” ~ Murphy’s Law Believe it or not, if woofs can even touch muzzles, chances are they’ll find a way to mate when you aren’t paying attention. Consider this the rule: Absolute separation of male and female canines during heat. If you only have male or female animals then it’s just a matter of not letting them roam and seeing to their individual needs to comfort and protect them. The key with keeping canines from breeding is to keep Murphy’s Law in mind and do whatever necessary to subvert what can go wrong. When you have made certain that NOTHING can go wrong, only then are you behaving responsibly. Vasectomy and Tubal Ligation Vasectomy is a low-invasive surgical procedure whereby the Dog is sterilized without depriving him of testosterone and avoiding possible side effects associated with the loss of this hormone. Vasectomy involves the surgical removal of part of each vas deferens and is a fairly simple procedure. Tubal ligation is a low-invasive surgical procedure whereby the Bitch is sterilized without depriving her of estrogen and avoiding possible side effects associated with the loss of this hormone. Tubal ligation means, literally, to tie up a small tube within the Bitch. This too is a much less dramatic procedure than neuter. Ask your vet about cutting the tubes instead of clamping them, for clamps have been known to come undone. Veterinarians tend to shy from vasectomy and tubal ligation surgeries because they do not eliminate production of testosterone and estrogens. Because of this their idea of what a canine animal should behave like is not realized by the human companion. This should not be the vet’s decision however - they are not his or her concern so long as you make an informed choice. If you are prepared to live with canines the way nature intended them... if you can love and care for the whole animal... then it’s no ones business but your own. You should look around until you find a health care professional who will respect this position. I personally prefer NOT allowing control freaks to cut into my best friends. Note: if you just want a servile plaything to tie up in the back yard and forget about until friends come around, then these procedures are probably NOT for you. Have the standard neuter procedure performed, for in the long run your victim will suffer less and live a more “comfortable” devitalized, lonely, and futile existence. Note also that if you have vanity issues Neuticle implants (artificial testicles) are available for Dogs. Ask any neuter-crazed veterinarian for more information. ---------- Last updated: May 30, 2007. The latest version of this webpage can be seen at neutering.org. Ebon Lupus, the author of this essay, may be contacted via email: ebon@neutering.org. Quotes should be credited to Ebon Lupus. Copyright © 2007 by James Greathouse - All Rights Reserved This essay may be reproduced for non-profit distribution so long as the entire unmodified document is presented, including this copyright notice.