KUALA LUMPUR: There will be fewer strays if puppies and kittens are neutered while they are still two to three months old, said the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). 

The SPCA is mulling over such a move before offering young animals at its shelter for adoption. 

At the moment the SPCA policy allows for adoption before the puppies and kittens are neutered. 

SPCA veterinary officer Dr V. Pushparam said it was the responsibility of the owners to bring their pets back to the association at about six months to have them neutered. 

But there was no guarantee that owners would bring their pets back for neutering. 

“If left unchecked, the problem of over breeding would arise,” she said in a recent interview. 

Dr Pushparam said at an early age neutering uses internal stitching which results in a smaller wound and is less painful to the animals. 

“It minimizes the risk of early pregnancies and unwanted puppies or kittens. This technique is done after puppies and kittens complete vaccination,” she said. 

Dr Pushparam said education was important for owners to help them understand the responsibility of adopting pets. 

“We receive some 900 animals a month and, if we are lucky, some 100 to 150 are adopted. 

“When people intend to give away their animals to the SPCA, we will let them know that if these animals are unfit for adoption, they would be put to sleep,” she said. 

She said some irresponsible people who considered it a hassle to care for their pets, send the animals to the SPCA, “as if the shelter is a dumping ground”. 

Selangor SPCA chairman Christine Chin said the process of neutering, beginning with the vaccination, takes about two to three weeks. 

After neutering, the animals would be fit for adoption. 

She said the SPCA learnt of this technique after a “vet-swap” workshop in August between the Selangor SPCA and the Bali Street Dog Foundation. 

Among those who attended the workshop, sponsored by the World Society for the Protection of Animals and the Humane Society International, were experts from Universiti Putra Malaysia and the Veterinary Services Department. 

Chin said it was an important technique as SPCA records show only 20% of puppies or kittens adopted last year were returned for neutering. 

“This means that we are unwittingly fuelling the problem of over-breeding,” she added.