Every day in the United States, more than 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. Some are welcomed into loving families, and some are not. What a great reminder that spaying and neutering is the most effective way to reduce pet overpopulation.

Over the course of a year, nearly 1 million homeless animals are born - and that's just in California.

Sadly, as long as such high birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for these animals.

Here in Marin, the community has done an excellent job of reducing its excess animal population. But there is still work to do. Being a responsible pet guardian means making the important choice to spay or neuter your pet.

It's a choice that saves lives.

Contrary to some myths, spaying and neutering will not make your pet fat and lazy. Too much food and not enough exercise is the main cause of obesity in pets. Neutering will not make a cat or dog feel less masculine or cause it to suffer from an identity crisis.

An altered pet can be easier to manage. Heat cycles in unspayed females can attract persistent males and cause frantic pacing and crying. Neutered males are generally less aggressive and less apt to roam or mark their territory by spraying. Unaltered dogs are three times more likely to bite humans and other animals. In fact, California has more reported dog bite injuries than any other state and a majority of dog bite victims are children.

Spaying and neutering is healthier for your pet, too. Spaying female dogs and cats eliminates the problems and risks of pregnancy and birth, as well as the common problems of cancer and infection of the uterus. It also decreases the possibility of mammary tumors and eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer. Neutering male dogs and cats reduces the risk of prostate problems and testicular tumors later in life.

Can't afford to spay or neuter your animal? The Marin Humane Society Veterinary Clinic performs low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for cats and dogs of Marin residents. In addition, four times a year, the society's Cat Fund, in conjunction with several local veterinarians, provides low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for felines. There's still space available for the month of May.

For more information on these programs, call the MHS Veterinary Clinic at 883-3383.

Legislation pending

Spaying and neutering may soon become the law in California. The California Healthy Pets Act (AB 1634), currently pending in the state legislature, would require the spaying and neutering of cats and dogs by the age of four months. Other jurisdictions with mandatory spay and neuter laws, including Santa Cruz County and the state of Rhode Island, have successfully reduced their pet overpopulation. If enacted, the California Healthy Pets Act would mandate the largest spay/neuter program ever.

To date, more than 250 animal advocacy groups, including the Marin Humane Society, have given their support for this bill. If the it becomes law, some exemptions will be permitted; go to www.cahealthypets.com for the details.

Carrie Harrington is the public relations associate at the Marin Humane Society.

Tails of Marin appears every Saturday in the Home & Garden section of the Marin Independent Journal