Even life in a place as magical as Hawaii is not without its troubles for the pets that call it home. Perhaps more than any portion of the United States, the islands of Hawaii can be negatively impacted by a rise in stray domestic animals. With so many households owning one or more pet, an island can easily become overrun with unwanted litters far faster than a larger portion of land can. Choosing to Spay and Neuter in Oahu not only benefits the animals themselves, but also the future of the island’s health!
Because Hawaii has little in the way of predatory animals, introductions to the ecosystem can tip its balance easily. With both cats and dogs descendant from apex predatory animals, stray and unwanted representations of each of their species, when devoid of human interaction for long enough to become feral, can force a food chain position that was not there previously, easily decimating native species including those that may be unique to the region. Sadly because of this, Oahu has a very high euthanasia rate in regards to its unwanted pet population. Making the decision to spay and neuter not only saves the lives of the unborn, but also those who may have been impacted by the potential damage homeless animals can cause. The Honolulu Pet Clinic is happy to help, making this process as streamlined as possible.
For the pets themselves that are undergoing sterilization, there are marked health benefits as well. Without the hormone drive to claim, maintain and defend a territory for breeding purposes, male cats and dogs have no urge to roam. By sterilizing, this drastically reduces the number of vehicle related animal deaths; the number of animals compelled by their own bodies to wander in the name of procreation dwindles when sterilization is commonplace. The reduction of hormones also sharply reduces the percentage of certain cancers, such as mammary cancer in females. Personality issues are often displays of the same hormone fluctuations that come from the drive to reproduce, and many times lead to the re-homing, surrender or outright abandonment of “problematic” animals. Negative behaviors such as urine spraying, aggression and mounting are all sharply reduced if not eliminated completely by choosing to spay or neuter your family friend.
