With spring?s arrival comes the inevitable surge of newborn kittens and puppies. It?s no coincidence that female animal heat cycles are triggered by spring?s longer days and warmer temperatures ? nature?s way of ensuring that newborns have a better chance of surviving. However, when females go into heat, the males? reproductive hormones also go into overdrive. The result: hundreds of unwanted litters are born each day in Texas from

spring through fall!

A few puppies and kittens will be lucky enough to find loving homes. Many, particularly cats, will end up living on the streets, fending for themselves, continuing to reproduce, suffering from starvation, disease, or injuries inflicted by cars, other animals, or abusive humans. Many more will end up in animal shelters with a 1-in-5 chance of being adopted. Animal intake numbers at the Humane Society of Northeast Texas average between 600 and 800 per month in December, January, and February. Intake numbers increase dramatically to as many as 1300 per month from March through November, primarily due to the baby boom.

What can you do to reduce the overwhelming numbers of unwanted puppies and kittens roaming your streets or brought to our shelter?

• Set a good example! Sterilize your pets and encourage family, friends, and acquaintances to do so. Surgery costs can be expensive, however, low-cost clinics exist in many areas, and free sterilization vouchers are available from HSNTx to low-income families in East Texas through a grant from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Call 903-297-2170 to find out if you or someone you know qualifies.
• Keep female pets inside your home during their heat cycles ? wandering males will find ways to go over, under, or even through a fence to mate.
• Refute the ?redneck? stigma associated with neutering male pets. It takes two to tango and, as mentioned above, males will find a way to reach a female in heat. Sterilization also has the added benefits of reducing unwanted male behaviors such as aggression, marking or spraying household items, and wandering away from home.
• Resist the urge to let your favorite pet have ?just one litter?. You may get lucky and only have a couple of healthy babies, but litters of 6-12 are more likely. Consider the time and financial commitment to ensure each is provided with the necessary care, food, and vaccinations they need for 6-7 weeks. What will you do with the puppies or kittens you can?t sell or give away? Think of the subsequent litters that may come from your ?one? litter.
• Do not feed stray or feral cats unless you are willing to catch them and have them sterilized. Feeding a couple of strays quickly turns into caring for dozens of cats as their offspring multiply. Many people who start out just trying to do the right thing by feeding a hungry cat easily become overwhelmed when the numbers of mouths to feed keep increasing.
• Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue organization rather than buying from a breeder or pet store. Adopting saves the life of a pet who might otherwise be euthanized for lack of space, creates room in the shelter for another animal needing help, and, by state law, must be spayed or neutered.