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Pet desexing
Having your pet desexed is part of being a responsible pet owner. Cats and dogs can produce offspring from an early age. They can have many litters of kittens or puppies during their lives. Desexing your pets can help reduce the numbers of unplanned puppies and kittens.
Desexing your pet can have positive health and behavioural advantages, such as reducing the incidence of roaming, disease and aggression in cats and dogs.
About desexing
Your pet may roam far from home to find another animal to mate with. Pets that are not desexed may jump fences and travel considerable distances to find the source of the scent that attracts them. Dogs have been known to mate through mesh fencing.
Desexing prevents unplanned pregnancies in female pets. It removes the need to predict when your pet will come on heat or try to escape your property in search of a female on heat.
Desexing can have positive health and behavioural advantages.
A desexed pet may:
- Live longer and be less likely to develop reproductive related cancers
- Desexing decrease the chances of developing mammary cancer, especially when done before your pet's first heat. Mammary cancer is fatal in 90% of cats and 50% of dogs
- It decreases the chances of infections of the uterus, which can be life-threatening
- It decreases the chances of developing cystic ovaries or uterine cancer
- It decreases the chances of cancers including prostate cancer, testicular cancer and peri-anal cancer
- Be less prone to wander. Desexed animals are far less inclined to go in search of a mate. Your pet should be confined at all times but if it does go wandering from your property, it could get lost or injured
- Not mark its territory by 'spraying' in the house
- Be less likely to develop aggressive tendencies
- No longer be sexually frustrated by pursuing another dog or cat on heat but not being able to reach them
Other advantages of desexing
- Reduced registration fee
- You won’t have to house female pets on heat to protect them from males attracted by the scent
- Reducing the population of stray or unwanted cats reduces the damage they can do to native flora and fauna
- You won’t have to find homes for unwanted or unexpected litters.
- Decreases the desire to roam, which can result in unfortunate situations like getting lost, or hit by a car
- Live longer and be less likely to develop reproductive related cancers
Animals not desexed are known as being entire animals. Keeping your pet entire can be costly. An entire female dog needs to be kept confined in a secure room or pen with a roof to prevent entire dogs from mating with her.
The same applies to female cats who also go to great lengths to mate when on heat.
Both cats and dogs can have large litters that need to be looked after for six to seven weeks before they given away or sold. They also need to be vaccinated and weaned onto solid food during this time.
Allowing your pet to have a litter should not be undertaken lightly. Pregnancy can increase the risk of reproductive cancers and complications can arise during birth. Consult with your vet before your animal mates and throughout their pregnancy.
If your pet does have a litter, you are responsible for the offspring until you’ve found new owners for them. Puppies and kittens must not be dumped or left to fend for themselves.
Dumping puppies and kittens carries a penalty of up to $1000. As well as being inhumane, dumping animals adds to stray and feral populations.
If you are unable to find caring homes for unwanted puppies or kittens, surrender them to the RSPCA.
We offer reduced registration fees for dogs and cats that have been desexed.
Pets of any age can be desexed, even as young as eight weeks. However, the Australian Veterinary Association recommends desexing your pet before it is three months old.
Desexing is a straightforward procedure that causes minimal discomfort to your pet. Most pets fully recover in 24 hours. Your vet can answer any questions about the procedure and advise you about caring for your pet after the operation. Most cats and dogs bounce back very quickly.
Some common myths
- A desexed pet will become overweight.
False. Desexing your pet does not make it fat or lazy. Only lack of exercise and too much food make pets overweight. - Pets lose their personality after desexing.
False. Your pet will retain her or his personality after the operation. You might however, find that your pet calms down a little. - Females should have one litter before being desexed.
False. There is no benefit in letting your pet have a litter before it is spayed (desexed). In fact, it is better for your pet not to have a litter or a period of being on heat before being spayed.
- A desexed pet will become overweight.
Mandatory desexing of newly registered cats will alleviate concerns of roaming cats and reduce unplanned kitten litter and nuisance complaints. A Council Order passed on 14 April 2022, introducing mandatory desexing of newly registered cats. Penalties apply from 1 July 2022.
This was informed by feedback we received during the community consultation on our Domestic Animal management Plan. 80% of respondents in our community consultation supported the introduction of mandatory desexing of newly registered cats.
There are some exemptions to the mandatory desexing of newly registered cats, such as:
- Cats that have been registered with Council before 14 April 2022
- The owner is a registered breeder and meets all the requirements under the Legislation.
- The owner is a current member of an applicable organisation and the animal is registered with that organisation.
The owner of the cat has written veterinary advice that the health of that cat would be impacted if desexed.
You can have your dog or cat desexed at any veterinary surgery.
You can find out more information about desexing your pet on the RSPCA website. Additional information is also available on the Animal Welfare Victoria website.
For more information, visit Agriculture Victoria's animal welfare.
The site has useful information about your rights and responsibilities as a pet owner. It covers your pet and your neighbourly responsibilities.