Neutering can prevent the deaths of millions of unwanted pets every year, while preventing health and behavior problems in those animals who are safely in loving homes already.

Neutered pets can't produce unwanted offspring, and they experience far fewer behavioral and medical problems. From a behavioral standpoint, early neutering will prevent the aggressiveness, territory-marking, fighting and roaming of both dogs and cats. Many of the pets hit by cars are unneutered males who will roam in search of mates or territory. Female pets who aren't spayed face a common infection of the uterus called pyometra, which is a life-threatening condition requiring surgery.

As for cats, all that catting around almost guarantees their exposure to contagious and mostly fatal diseases.

Medically, the news is better yet. Neutered pets have a greatly reduced incidence of some forms of cancer, along with a reduced incidence of urinary tract disease. Early neutering helps prevent prostate disease in male dogs and decreases the chances of your female pet getting mammary cancer to almost zero.

Forget that old idea that pets should be spayed after the first heat. Better to do it before the hormones kick in, from both a medical and behavioral standpoint.

Veterinarians used to recommend neutering and spaying pets after the age of 6 months old. Now we've found that it is simple, safe and effective to sterilize pets as young as 12 weeks old. At an early age, the procedure has less bleeding and is easier to perform because of less body fat. Best of all, it can be accomplished at the time of your pets' last set of puppy or kitten vaccinations.

If you love pets as much as I do, let's work together to halt the birth of unwanted pets. And encourage your friends and family members to spay/neuter their pets.