Your Current Dog Isn't Neutered? No More Dogs for You!

[Greenday]

Well, my sister and I finally have convinced my mom to let us adopt another beagle. We've been looking and we keep running into the same problem. Every rescue shelter keeps asking if our current dog is neutered. No, he's not. We found him as a stray and kept him when no one came looking for him. At that point he was easily 3-4 years old. My mom didn't get him neutered at first cause she thought it would hurt him. Wouldn't listen to my arguments. Finally she gave in and started looking into it. The local SPCAs won't do it though because they claim our dog is too old. Apparently, 7-8 years old was too old.

It just pisses me off that they won't give us a dog because of this. If it's the difference between a dog getting a home or not, I don't see why it's a big deal.

What really took the cake was when one shelter said they were teaching us a lesson by not giving us a dog. Something about population control. No, you are just making yourselves out to be pompous assholes. Also, we wanted to adopt a spayed female. How the hell would we have unwanted puppies if the female we adopt is spayed. I'm under the impression that being spayed means she couldn't get pregnant.

Fucking assholes.

[Akasa]

I agree, if the dog you are going to get is going to be fixed already wtf is the deal?

I say start lying and say yes he is neutered. Like they'd know.

[Jack]

Yeah, what are they going to do, check?

[Boozy]

They'll want paperwork proving your dog is neutered.

Tell the shelter that your dog is over 7 years-old and you have been told that you can't neuter him at this age. There can be serious physical and psychological side effects to neutering male dogs after adolescence. Your mom did the right thing.

If they still won't give you a dog, find another shelter.

I would advise you not to get a female, though. Even if she's spayed and you don't need to worry about pupppies, your other dog is fully intact and might be interested, even if she doesn't go into heat. That's not something I'd want happening in my living room.

[Jack]

Better idea: Don't tell them you have another dog. They clearly have trouble minding their own business so don't let them see any of yours.

[Kyree]

There's another issue that they may or may not be telling you. Having two males together with one intact is a recipe for a fight. They are more likely to get into scraps or fights over...well everything.

A lot of rescues won't adopt out dogs of the same sex that you have, period. Even if both are fixed - unless people know what they are doing it's generally not a good idea.

[Greenday]

There will be no humping or fighting. My current dog is a lazy SOB...kinda like his owner . He's been around other dogs, including female beagles and other than sniffing at them to say hi, he hasn't tried anything. The worst I expect is my dog pissing all over the yard...which he already does anyway.

We found a place (kinda like a foster home for dogs) that will bring over a dog next weekend. Her name is Squeekers. They say the vet told them that she is about 4 years old.

[Android Kaeli]

If the shelters know that you didn't neuter one dog, what makes them think that you'll do the same for the second dog? Honestly, I wouldn't let you adopt another animal either all because you didn't neuter the first one.

If the SPCA says that the dog is too old, here's a novel idea: go to an actual vet clinic. I'm sure that there's at least two in your area that'll do it.

[muses_nightmare]

If the shelters know that you didn't neuter one dog, what makes them think that you'll do the same for the second dog? Honestly, I wouldn't let you adopt another animal either all because you didn't neuter the first one.

I do believe that Greenday said that they were planning on adopting an already spayed female. I don't see how this applies to that situation.

Also, as someone mentioned neutering a dog over a certain age can be hazardous to the dog.

[Greenday]

Muses is correct on both counts.

And our current dog wasn't a puppy when we found him on the street.

[Boozy]

If the SPCA says that the dog is too old, here's a novel idea: go to an actual vet clinic. I'm sure that there's at least two in your area that'll do it.

Who do you think does the surgeries at the SPCA? Some random file clerk?

It would have been a vet at the SPCA who advised against neutering at the dog's age. Yes, you probably could find another vet to do it. But that doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea for the dog's well-being.

[jedimaster91]

Out low-cost spay/neuter place will do the surgery on older pet. However, there is a separate form for the owner to sign that they understand there is a higher risk for older pets. And during check-in procedures, if the vet thinks surgery's not a good idea, she won't do it.

ETA: There's always the "farm method". No surgery required.