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Brooklyn Pickle

Mrs. Kate Sneed

CCCA Capstone

31 August 2018

Annotated Bibliography

For my capstone project, I am researching the benefits of spaying and neutering pets. Spaying
and neutering are the procedures of sterilization of female and male animals. These procedures
prevent unwanted pregnancies, certain types of cancers, and stray animals on the streets of
communities. I plan to research the effects of spaying and neutering on animals and why
veterinarians advocate for the procedures. I want to research spaying and neutering in an
attempt to persuade pet owners to spay and neuter their animals. Without spaying and neutering,
there are large numbers of stray animals that are brought into animal shelters; once there, the
animals only have a short time to be adopted or they will be euthanized. Not only does spaying
and neutering reduce the number of strays that are killed, but it keeps animals with homes
healthy.

“Adoption.” Maury County, TN: About Us, www.maurycounty-tn.gov/index.aspx?page=230.

Accessed 25 Aug. 2018.

To adopt an animal from the Maury County Animal Shelter, it can cost $65 or $75 depending on

if the animal is a cat or dog. Part of the cost goes toward checking the animal’s health before it is

sent home with its new owner. A $25 portion of the cost is made to ensure the new pet owner

will spay or neuter the pet after adoption. The State of Tennessee requires adopted animals to be

spayed and neutered, but there are no strict enforcements of this requirement.

“Animal Cruelty Facts and Stats.” The Humane Society of the United States,

m.humanesociety.org/issues/abuse_neglect/facts/animal_cruelty_facts_statistics.html.

Accessed 25 Aug. 2018.

This organization’s information shows animal cruelty in the United States. This includes the

percentages of dogs, cats, and other animals that are abused. The statistics provided show large
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numbers of victimized animals and who the perpetrators of the violence tend to be. Also, they

detail acts and laws the state and federal governments have taken to prevent animal cruelty.

“Data Reports.” Nashville > Parks and Recreation > Centennial Sportsplex > Disabilities

Program, 2018, www.nashville.gov/Health-Department/Animal-Care-and-Control/Data-

Reports.aspx. Accessed 26 Aug. 2018.

The Health Department in the Davidson County area offers statistics on the specific numbers of

animals Metro Animal Control brought in every month since December 2014. The statistics

contain the number of strays picked up and the number of domestic animals pet owners

relinquished. Part of the data also shows the number of animals that were adopted. The animals

included in the statistics are both domestic and wildlife animals.

Fogle, Bruce. Complete Dog Care Manual. Dorling Kindersley Inc., 1993.

In his book, Fogle includes a chapter titled “Breeding.” This chapter has information on the

reproductive systems of male and female dogs. There is information on dog care during and after

pregnancy to ensure the dog’s well-being. However, he also includes information on the spaying

and neutering processes. He provides diagrams to show that neutering involves the removal of

the testicles, and spaying involves the removal of the ovaries and uterus.

Hart, Benjamin L., et al. “Long-Term Health Effects of Neutering Dogs: Comparison of

Labrador Retrievers with Golden Retrievers.” National Center for Biotechnology

Information, 14 July 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4096726/. Accessed

25 Aug. 2018.

There have been studies conducted on the effects of spaying and neutering in dogs. Cancers such

as osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and hemangiosarcoma, a type of blood cancer have been

found to occur more frequently in dogs that gave been spayed or neutered rather than dogs that
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have not. There is also an increase in disorders of the joints caused by the hormone decrease of

spaying and neutering surgeries. However, these results vary in dog breeds.

“How Spay Neuter Affects Pet Personality and Behavior.” Found Animals, Michelson Found

Animals Foundation, 28 Mar. 2018, www.foundanimals.org/spay-neuter-affects-pet-

personality/. Accessed 25 Aug. 2018.

Spaying and neutering pets can cause the behavior of the pets to change. Behavior is often

motivated by the hormones produced by the animals such as testosterone and estrogen. Spaying

and neutering remove these hormones. The reduction of hormones decreases aggression and

irritability as well as an animal’s desire to roam. However, behavior in animals is also

determined by the environment the animal is raised in.

Lynch, Elizabeth. “Ask a Vet: All You Need to Know About Spay/Neuter Surgery.” MSPCA-

Angell, www.mspca.org/pet_resources/ask-a-vet-all-you-need-to-know-about-spayneuter-

surgery/. Accessed 26 Aug. 2018.

Animals that are going to undergo a spay or neuter surgery are put under using anesthesia, and

some have a breathing tube inserted. For spays, an incision is made on a clean-shaven stomach to

remove the uterus; for neuters, an incision is made below the penis to remove the testicles. The

surgeries differ in length, however, because a neuter surgery is less invasive than a spay surgery.

Therefore, spay surgeries often take a longer amount of time to perform than a neuter surgery.

There can be post-surgery complications, but the complications usually occur in older animals.

Morgan, John G. “Animal Shelters in Tennessee.” Offices of Research and Education

Accountability, May 2008, http://www.comptroller.tn.gov/repository/RE/Animal

Shelters2008.pdf. Accessed 26 Aug. 2018.

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This is a paper created by the OREA of Tennessee providing information on the laws enforced or

not enforced on animal shelters in the state. There are three conclusions provided that indicate

that the state does not closely regulate animal shelters or animal control. There are not

regulations for the proper care that shelters must provide. Pet owners who adopt animals from

shelters sign an agreement stating that they will spay or neuter their pets, but there is no law

enforcing this; there are also no restrictions on what constitutes as adoption.

“Pets by the Numbers.” Animal Sheltering Online by The Humane Society of the United States,

18 July 2018, www.animalsheltering.org/page/pets-by-the-numbers. Accessed 25 Aug.

2018.

This page provides data on the number of pets in households in the United States. This data

includes specific numbers of cats and dogs; in their data, they include the average costs of

owning an animal and the costs of pet care at veterinarians each year. Also included is the

percentages of dogs and cats adopted from shelters or bought from breeders. In their charts, they

provide estimates of pet ownership in communities that lack veterinary care and estimates of

homeless animals in communities.

Pollard, Michael. The Complete Encyclopedia of Cats. 1999. Parragon Publishing, 2005.

In the chapter “Cat Care and Management,” Pollard details proper cat care. Part of proper cat

care involves having cats spayed and neutered. He explains the age that male and female cats can

be neutered or spayed. As male cats mature, they can become aggressive, but removing the

hormone testosterone will decrease aggressiveness. Pollard also discredits myths such as

allowing female cats to birth a litter will benefit the cat or neutering decreases a cat’s aptitude for

hunting.
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“Spaying and Neutering.” Estimated Vehicle Interior Air Temperature v. Elapsed Time,

www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/spay-neuter.aspx. Accessed 25 Aug. 2018.

This organization offers information on the medical terminology used by veterinarians when

spaying and neutering; this information helps pet owners to understand what will happen to their

pets during the surgeries. There is a persuasive aspect to the information that encourages the

procedures to be performed. However, the risks of the procedures are listed to inform owners of

all aspects of the surgeries. They encourage pet owners to speak to their veterinarians and

consider all the options before having the procedures performed.

“Spay/Neuter Your Pet.” ASPCA, 2018, www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/spayneuter-

your-pet. Accessed 25 Aug. 2018.

The organization advocates for the well-being of animals. They detail the behavior and medical

benefits, going in-depth on some of the benefits. Along with offering information on when the

procedures should be done, the organization provides tips to prepare the animals and owners

before the surgeries. They also devote a portion of the article to debunking common

misconceptions about the procedures.

“Spaying/Neutering.” American Humane, 25 Aug. 2016, www.americanhumane.org/fact-

sheet/spayingneutering. Accessed 13 Aug. 2018.

The organization gives information on the actual procedures of spaying and neutering. The

website lists the health benefits of both procedures and why the procedures should be done. They

are strong advocates for spaying and neutering; they also offer answers to questions pet owners

have when considering having their pets spayed or neutered. Some of the questions answered are

about the reproductive activity of the animals, and they also explain to pet owners the importance

of the procedures due to animal shelter’s limited space and resources.

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“UC Davis Study Shows Negative Effects of Neutering.” The Aggie, 4 Apr. 2013,

theaggie.org/2013/04/04/uc-davis-study-shows-negative-effects-of-neutering. Accessed

25 Aug. 2018.

The University of California Davis School Of Veterinary Medicine conducted a study on Golden

Retrievers to assess the possible negative effects of neutering. Due to the removal of the testicles

and, therefore, the hormones in the testicles, some of the growth plates in the canines ceased to

grow. This can cause hip dysplasia in the canines. They also found that certain cancers such as

lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma also developed in the neutered canines more often than non-

neutered canines.

“What is a Super Pet?” Nashville Humane Association, nashvillehumane.org/spay-neuter/.

Accessed 13 Aug. 2018.

The Nashville Humane Association is an organization dedicated to helping animals. One of the

many things they offer is a low-cost mobile spaying and neutering clinic. They offer these to

those who cannot afford the cost of a veterinarian. The unit travels throughout the Nashville area,

and it is a good resource for those who cannot afford to have their animals spayed or neutered at

a veterinarian and need a low-cost option.

“What Is Spay/Neuter?” SpayFIRST!, www.spayfirst.org/programs/what-is-spay-neuter/.

Accessed 26 Aug. 2018.

Spaying and neutering are the procedures responsible for animal sterilization. Spaying removes

the ovaries and uterus, and neutering removes the testicles. The correct time to spay and neuter

cats and dogs are around four months for cats and five months for dogs. Spaying in female dogs

decreases the likelihood of mammary cancer as well as decreasing the chances the dog will roam.

Neutering also decreases roaming in male dogs.

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