Neutering your dog

Neutering is a simple operation which prevents dogs from reproducing. Both male and female dogs can be neutered. In male dogs it is known as "castration", whereas in females it is called "spaying".

There are many reasons why you should have your dog neutered:

• It encourages calmer, more predictable behaviour making your dog a more suitable family pet
• It can reduce aggression, preventing fighting
• It can reduce straying as the dog will lose the urge to look for a mate
• It prevents the mess and inconvenience of seasons in female dogs and can reduce the marking of territory by male dogs
• It avoids the production of unwanted puppies and young dogs which fill the stray dog pounds of councils and rescue centres up and down the country
• Early neutering can reduce the risk of some cancers for both male and female dogs
• It can save you money by reducing vets bills for injuries caused by fighting or accidents caused by unruly behaviour, pregnancy costs and the expense of raising unexpected puppies

If you adopt one of our stray dogs it will come with a voucher to get it neutered for free if it has not already been done.

If you already own a dog, Dogs Trust have a scheme to offer subsidised neutering. To find out if you are eligible call their neutering hotline on 0845 606 3036 or visit the Dogs Trust website.