I just contacted a rescue organization about a puppy up for adoption and was told that if I adopt the pup I could take it home after it was spayed or neutered. According to the rescue, this is common practice now.
When we adopted kittens from our local SPCA, we paid the adoption fee, which included a voucher for the spay/neuter.
The pup I’m interested in is listed as 8 weeks (maybe older by now since I’m not sure when the picture was posted). What is the youngest a small dog can be neutered?
Male or female?
I’d find out how old the pup is now…
The one I’m most interested in is a male, and the woman that I talked to just said he was 8 weeks old. She didn’t sound too sure of herself, but let’s just say the pup’s 8 weeks old.
I’m 2.5 hours away, but I can put down a $100 deposit over the phone to hold the pup until I can get down there. The adoption fee is $650 … that’s compared with somewhere between $100 and $200 at an SPCA or Humane Society, so it sort of feels like “pet shop” rather than rescue.
My last 2 dogs I adopted as adults, and I’d really like to go the puppy route this time, but it seems that small-dog puppies are not easy to come by around here (central PA).
Our local shelter will spay/neuter before adoption if the animal is 8 weeks or older. I wouldn’t choose it for my animal but I understand why the shelter does it
Goodness $650 to adopt? No wonder so many southern dogs get shipped up north, we can hardly get any adopted down here and that is at $200 adoption fee.
I would hate for my puppy especially if a larger breed to be altered at such a young age.
Many people aren’t responsible enough to make sure their adopted animals are spayed and neutered and this is the result. It wouldn’t stop me from an adoption.
I know of a rescue that ships puppies up from your area and the adoption fee is $275.
I’ve never heard of an organization with a $650 adoption fee, particularly for an 8 week old puppy. Wow.
Yes, puppies can be altered as young as 8 weeks. As was already mentioned - it is not what I would choose for my own pet. The rescue I just mentioned “no longer do pediatric spays and neuters due to the long term health implications” as per their website. They have a $100 refund upon spay/neuter.
OP, I am curious about this “rescue”…are you sure it’s legitimate?
Why don’t you Google pediatric spay/ neuter?
It is definitely not in the best interest of the health of the dog, according to all research.
It is a political thing, done because of concern for dog overpopulation.
If I were in search of a dog to adopt, I would certainly not want this done- especially on a larger breed dog. For the health of the dog, I would not neuter before the growth plates close- at least 18 months for a large/giant breed dog.
Health concerns with early neutering include cancer, including osteosarcoma, lymphosarcoma, and hemangiosarcoma, and orthopedic issues such as cruciate rupture.
As someone who has worked in rescue, particularly dog rescue- the adoption fee is high for what I have seen. It may be related to your area- I am in the south. However, it is a puppy, which may raise the adoption fee, and the fee covers the neuter, age appropriate shots, and most likely a microchip. If you got all of these done at a vet, you would be paying at least $650- I now work at a vet so I know how much people generally pay for puppy shots and neutering.
The neutering being done before you can adopt is a legal thing- at least in my state. The Department of Ag does not allow 501c3 rescues to adopt un-altered animals out. The rescue I worked for got around that by doing a foster-to-adopt where we had legal ownership of the puppy until they were old enough to be altered ( we generally did 4-5 months- puppies can go on FTA as soon as they have all their shots and it gets harder to track owners down to alter the puppy the longer they wait). The vet I work for recommends altering at or after 6 months old (obviously longer if it is a giant breed). Rescues that do not ensure that a dog gets spayed or neutered is part of the problem, quite honestly. Some people lie or think their puppy needs to experience parenthood or just plain never get around to altering their dog unless you force them, and a voucher isn’t going to do it.
There are plenty of puppies out there. If you are uncomfortable with this rescue’s policies, I’m sure you will come across another puppy you can fall in love with.
You guys bring up some good issues. I haven’t had a puppy for many years, but when I did we never neutered that young. I get that it’s their policy and in the overall scheme of dog overpopulation, it makes sense, I guess.
No, I am not at all sure the rescue (Molly’s Place in Mechanicsburg, PA) is “legit.” In fact, I read some pretty bad reviews (as well as raves) about the place, and here’s an interesting article about recent court battles.
I’ve seen adoption fees as high as $400 for pups that come up here from the south. At Molly’s Place, they justify the higher fees for puppies and purebreds to subsidize the lower fees of less “desirable” adoptees.
I need a small dog because I already have a small dog (12-pounder), and he plays with larger dogs, but they inevitably get too rough with him. I think that makes the puppy search a little tougher.
I just got an email that said I was approved for adoption, and the dog I want is still available.
I’m leery of this place, and I really, really don’t like the idea of neutering that young, but just take a look at that face: https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/35004317
The rule is once they are 1 kg then they are big enough to be spayed/neutered. I understand the need for the shelters and rescue groups to spay and neuter the dogs, but in my professional opinion, it is doing a disservice to the animal. I’m very much an advocate of waiting to spay and neuter especially in large breeds dogs. As far as cats, I think male cats by 6 months and females after their first heat.
[QUOTE=Miss Anne Thrope;8643382]
You guys bring up some good issues. I haven’t had a puppy for many years, but when I did we never neutered that young. I get that it’s their policy and in the overall scheme of dog overpopulation, it makes sense, I guess.
No, I am not at all sure the rescue (Molly’s Place in Mechanicsburg, PA) is “legit.” In fact, I read some pretty bad reviews (as well as raves) about the place, and here’s an interesting article about recent court battles.
I’ve seen adoption fees as high as $400 for pups that come up here from the south. At Molly’s Place, they justify the higher fees for puppies and purebreds to subsidize the lower fees of less “desirable” adoptees.
I need a small dog because I already have a small dog (12-pounder), and he plays with larger dogs, but they inevitably get too rough with him. I think that makes the puppy search a little tougher.
I just got an email that said I was approved for adoption, and the dog I want is still available.
I’m leery of this place, and I really, really don’t like the idea of neutering that young, but just take a look at that face: https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/35004317[/QUOTE]
I thought they lost their license. That was the last I heard. OMGosh look at that face. So stinkin’ cute.
[QUOTE=Ethan & Ella’s Mom;8643390]
I thought they lost their license. That was the last I heard. OMGosh look at that face. So stinkin’ cute.[/QUOTE]
I know!! It’s exactly what I picture when I think of my ideal puppy.
I’ve also inquired about these little ones (adoption fee $175). I’ll find out Monday if I’m approved for adoption (I’m sure I will be) and if the one I want (there’s one with slightly wiry hair on the far right in one of the pics) is still available.
Oh gosh $400?
Why don’t you just buy a puppy from a responsible breeder, not like this one would not find another home…
From a responsible breeder you’d get health testing of the parents, plus forever support of the puppy for the rest of its life.
[QUOTE=S1969;8643159]
I know of a rescue that ships puppies up from your area and the adoption fee is $275.
I’ve never heard of an organization with a $650 adoption fee, particularly for an 8 week old puppy. Wow.
OP, I am curious about this “rescue”…are you sure it’s legitimate?[/QUOTE]
Below, one of the popular ones in my area. $600 for a puppy.
http://fs18.formsite.com/bigfluffydogs/form952673514/index.html
Quarantine adds $75, but to pull an already vaccinated and spayed/neutered puppy from some of the shelters they work with also only costs $75
[QUOTE=Houndhill;8643471]
Oh gosh $400?
Why don’t you just buy a puppy from a responsible breeder, not like this one would not find another home…
From a responsible breeder you’d get health testing of the parents, plus forever support of the puppy for the rest of its life.[/QUOTE]
I completely agree but realistically a purchase price will be at least twice and more likely three to four times that amount. However, I believe that going with a good breeder saves a lot of money over the lifetime of a dog.
I wouldn’t do it and it’s another policy that turns me off from rescues. I understand why they do it, but I don’t want a dog of mine neutered that young.
And incidentally, I didn’t spend anywhere near $650 on puppy shots (x3), rabies+tag, deworm, microchip, and when I add neutering it still won’t total $650. More realistically half that.
I know, I know, I KNOW … but that face!!
But yeah, that neutering policy will probably keep me from buying … um, I mean adopting from that rescue.
I had decided to go the purebred route but haven’t been able to settle on a breed. Plus, my limited experience with reputable breeders is that they have waiting lists for puppies. I went to a dog show to scout around and met a woman showing her Havanese and contacted the breeder of her dogs. She’s got lovely dogs and a good breeding program, but she wants $2000 for a pet quality puppy. Not sure if that’s typical, but I just can’t rationalize shelling out that kind of money for a puppy.
I guess I’ll just keep looking.
[QUOTE=Miss Anne Thrope;8643591]
but she wants $2000 for a pet quality puppy. [/QUOTE]
Don’t know Havanese so don’t know if the price is typical. My 2 BTs were less than that.
IMO, one can’t know if a puppy is “show” or “pet” quality as a puppy. Some puppies may be based on conformation or color/markings but a puppy’s real possibilities as a show dog won’t be until it grows up a bit. Most breeders I’ve worked with sold all pups at the same price and with some type of either spay/neuter or delayed AKC registration if they didn’t want it shown conformation or bred.
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