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By MACKENZEE SIMMS | Staff Writer

Last week, I had a conversation with a woman who abandoned her dog at a shelter because her dog had become pregnant for a second time.

She explained that she took care of her dog during the first accidental pregnancy and found homes for the puppies. But when her dog accidentally became pregnant for the second time, she decided to surrender her. Her kids are apparently still angry about it.

Now, I’m not in a position to judge any person for such a decision when I’m unaware of their financial situation, but it solidified my belief in the importance of spaying and neutering animals.

Animal shelters across Alabama are overflowing with animals. In addition to the massive amount of strays, people also frequently abandon animals for a variety of reasons.

I personally have sat in the waiting room of the Shelby County Humane Society and watched as an elderly man brought in his dog to surrender. The little dog was cowering in the doorway, balancing on its three legs.

The staff at the shelter offered him resources, free dog food and more to rethink his decision.

They point blank asked him, “Is there anything at all that will make you keep your dog?”

He said no and left.

In a world where dogs are surrendered at a faster rate than shelters can find homes, it is more critical than ever to do everything in your power to make sure you can keep your pets.

If you can’t afford for your pet to become pregnant, you should spay your pet. That’s what responsible pet ownership looks like.

I understand that many people cannot afford these surgeries for their animals, but there are low-cost options available if money is the issue.

The Alabama Animal Adoption Society offers low-cost spay/neuter certificates with participating clinics for $45-60 for cats and $65-90 for dogs. In addition, Shelby County residents on public assistance can reduce the cost of these surgeries by an addition $20 through the Shelby Humane Society.

While these options may still be expensive, they are cheaper than paying for pregnancy care.

There are also many pet owners with male animals that do not neuter their animals because they won’t have to deal with the repercussions of any unwanted offspring. To those owners, I would like to once again direct your attention to the animal overpopulation in our state.

If you don’t want to exacerbate animal overpopulation, you should neuter your pet. That’s what responsible pet ownership looks like.

No one gets a pet with the intention of being an irresponsible pet owner. Nevertheless, many people become irresponsible pet owners not through any malicious action, but rather their inaction. Call your veterinarian or local shelter to explore low cost spay/neuter options available to you.