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1893
"A Veterinary Surgeon," in the anonymous Diseases of Dogs and Cats, describes neutering a male cat by rolling it in a blanket and carrying out the operation without anesthetic such as chloroform or ether.1
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1929-1933
Records at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York City show a peak of over 300,000 stray animals per year, reflecting the displacement and upheaval that accompanied the Great Depression.2
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1930s
Spaying and neutering of pets becomes increasingly accessible, although techniques have been in place for sterilizing livestock for some time.3
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1969
The first low-cost spay-neuter clinic opens in Los Angeles with a four-month waiting list of people wanting to get their pets sterilized.4
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1972
ASPCA begins spaying and neutering all animals it adopts out.5
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1973
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that about 13.5 million dogs and cats are euthanized in the U.S.6
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1979
Bob Barker, host of TV game show The Price Is Right, begins using his signature sign-off to end the program: "This is Bob Barker reminding you to help control the pet population — have your pets spayed or neutered."7
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1995
The Doris Day Animal League designates the fourth Tuesday in February as World Spay Day, an awareness and advocacy campaign now run by the HSUS.8
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2020
Around 347,000 dogs and cats are euthanized in U.S. shelters this year,9 down 97% from the early 1970s.
- Hartwell S. "Cats and cat care — 1940s-1960s: Neutering and population control." Messy Beast. Copyright 2004. Accessed November 30, 2021.
- Zawistowski S. "Companion animal populations – historical context and future directions." Petfinder. July 7, 2000. Accessed November 30, 2021.
- Grier KC. Pets in America: A History. University of North Carolina Press; 2006.
- Rosenthal CM. "When did U.S. get first spay/neuter clinic?" My San Antonio. July 6, 2011. Accessed November 30, 2021.
- Pi S. "Spay/neuter Awareness Month: The history of spaying and neutering pets." DogTime. Accessed November 30, 2021.
- Rowan A, Kartal T. "Dog population and dog sheltering trends in the United States of America." Animals 2018;8(5):68. doi: 10.3390/ani8050068
- Morris J. "How did Bob Barker help influence a nation to neuter their pets?" The Mercury News. October 17, 2018. Accessed November 30, 2021.
- World Spay Day. Doris Day Animal Foundation. Copyright 2021. Accessed November 30, 2021.
- "The state of animal welfare today." Best Friends. Copyright 2021. Accessed November 30, 2021.
1 comment
The blog in the Bowman Report offers a detailed history of spay and neuter practices in the U.S., highlighting significant milestones, from early, rudimentary procedures in the 1890s to the rise of low-cost clinics in the 20th century. It touches on how overpopulation challenges have led to evolving sterilization efforts and animal welfare advocacy, such as the creation of World Spay Day.