Frequently Asked Questions
 

1) Why Should My Pet Be Spayed/Neutered?
2) At What Age Should My Pet Be Spayed or Neutered?
3) Where is your facility located and how do I get there?
4) Where do I go and what to do if I need to give up an animal?
 
 

1)  Question:  Why should my pet be spayed or neutered?
Answer:  Top three reasons to spay & neuter your pet:

* To help reduce the number of unwanted animals & help manage the overpopulation problem in your area.
FACTS: An unaltered female cat & her kittens can produce over 400,000 cats in 6 years.   An unaltered dog and her puppies can produce over 60,000 dogs in 7 years. 

* Sterilization of your cat or dog will increase his/her chance of a longer and healthier life.   Altering your canine friend will increase their life an average of 1 to 3 years & felines, 3 - 5 years. Altered animals have a very low to no risk of mammary gland tumors/cancer, prostate cancer, perianal tumors, pyometria, and uterine, ovarian and testicular cancers.

* Sterilizing your cat/dog makes him/her a better pet, reducing his/her urge to roam and decreasing the risk of contracting diseases or getting hurt as they roam. Surveys indicate that as many as 85% of dogs hit by cars are unaltered. Intact male cats living outside have been shown to live on average less than two years. Feline Immunodeficiency Syndrome is spread by bites and intact cats fight a great deal more than altered cats.

RIGHT NOW, YOUR NC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS STUDYING THIS PROBLEM IN THE HOUSE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON THE PREVENTION AND DISPOSITION OF UNWANTED AND SURPLUS ANIMALS.  Contact your local, county and state representatives and tell them you want them to support legislation to end pet overpopulation! Contact your local officials now!   http://www.firstgov.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Assistance Programs:
   
 

2) Question: At what age should my pet be spayed or neutered?
Answer: For many years, veterinarians were taught that cats and dogs had to be a year old to be spayed or neutered. Later, they were taught that six months was appropriate. Today we know that kittens and pups can be spayed or neutered at the age of 2 months (or 2 pounds). The American Veterinary Medical Association has endorsed this practice called Early Age Neutering; the animals recover more quickly from surgery when they are young. Today some vets will spay/neuter at eight weeks of age, while others adhere to the old practice of six months of age. The average age at which pets are spayed or neutered is four months.
 

 
 

3) Question: Where is your facility located & how do I get there?
 Answer:   The Franklin County Humane Society does not currently have an adoption facility to house animals.  Therefore, we pull 95% of them from the County-run facility and place them into foster care until they find permanent & loving homes.  FCHS volunteers visit the county facility on a weekly basis and take photos of all the animals the FCHS does not have space for in foster care.  These photos are posted on www.fchsnc.org in hopes they will be reunited with their families or find a loving home.  For the animals in foster care, you can visit them at Petsmart (dates noted on the "Events"  page).  The Franklin County Animal Control Facility is located on Timberlake Road in Louisburg, NC. It is on the same property as the County Landfill.

   
 

4) Question: Where do I go & what to do if I need to give up an animal?
Answer: By law, animal control facilities must keep stray pets for 72 hours to give their owners a chance to reclaim them.  After the 72 hour period, they can be destroyed and many facilities continue to use the Gas Chamber for euthanasia.  Owner surrendered animals are not protected by this statute and can be destroyed the same day they arrive.  If your dog is old, large in size, has health problems or has a poor attitude toward strangers, its chances of adoption are slim to none. Being a pure bred does not help the dog's chances of getting adopted. Most Animal Rescue groups are usually small groups of volunteers using their homes to foster dogs until they can find new homes.  These groups are usually over loaded and sometimes will not take owner surrenders due to the overabundant need to help those in shelters.  Many rescue organizations offer a courtesy posting to help those who need to replace their pets.  FCHS provides this service - the dog still remains in your care and is solely your responsibility to found a suitable home for the dog (see recommendations for rephoming your pet)
   
 

Franklin County Humane Society,  PO Box 338, Youngsville, NC 27596,  fchsncinfo@yahoo.com
(919) 990-1045 Voice Mail Checked Daily

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