Last month, Rhode Island became the first state in the nation to require cat owners to spay or neuter their pets (unless they plan to breed the cats and purchase a breeder’s license).
Rhode Island Governor Don Carcieri hopes the move for mandatory spaying and neutering will help reduce the number of cats that are in shelters throughout the state — who often end up being euthanized. If the number of cats in shelters is reduced, that will help shelters save money by cutting down on housing and feeding costs.
In 2004, between private shelters and municipal shelters in Rhode Island, approximately 1600 stray cats were euthanized. The state Department of Environmental Management provided that statistic, the most current figure available. Without unwanted litters of kittens from un-spayed and un-neutered pets, that number could go down dramatically.
Under the new law, cat owners must spay or neuter pets older than six months. Violators can be fined seventy-five dollars per month. Some animal-rights advocates feel the new law could lead to cats being abandoned by owners who can’t or won’t pay for the surgery or the fines. However, low-income pet owners are eligible for low-cost surgery under the new law. Farmers in Rhode Island are exempt from the mandatory spaying or neutering.
Owners who plan to breed their cats can pay $100 for a breeder’s license.
Spaying and neutering does have a lot of health benefits for your pets! Pets that are fixed tend to live longer and avoid life-threatening genital cancers. Pets that are fixed are less likely to try to escape the confines of the house and yard in search of romance, too — that means fewer lost pets and fewer car accidents and other potential injuries.
Other areas are working on reducing feral cat populations by trapping, spaying or neutering, and releasing feral cats.