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Responsible Dog Ownership - Sterilising Your Dog
Responsible Dog Ownership
Responsible Dog Ownership
Sterilising Your Dog

Why sterilise your dog?
  • Dogs are able to start having pups at a very young age, and can potentially deliver many litters.
  • Surveys indicate that dogs that are not sterilised have an increased risk of being abandoned or surrendered.
  • In Perth, hundreds of dogs are put down each week and about 20,000-30,000 dogs are destroyed each year. Many more are dumped in areas where their likely fate is death by accident, starvation, disease, or from predators. The numbers escalate over the Christmas and Easter periods.
  • It is reported that the biggest behavioural effect of sterilisation is the huge reduction in roaming, especially of male dogs. Any reduction in straying dogs has a significant public benefit.
What about aggression?
The effect of sterilisation on aggression will depend on the type of aggressive behaviour involved. For example, sterilisation will reduce dominance-based aggression, but it will have little effect if the aggression is based on fear. Whatever the cause, sterilising aggressive dogs will at least ensure that aggressive genes are not passed on.

Reduced registration fees
Owners of sterilised dogs are eligible for reduced registration fees.

Some local governments may also offer sterilisation subsidies (rebates). You should contact your local government for further information.

Some Common Myths


A sterilised pet will become fat
Sterilising your pet does not make it fat or lazy, only lack of exercise and too much food will do this.

Pets lose their personality after sterilisation
False. Your pet will retain its individual personality after the operation. The only “character” change resulting from sterilising your dog may be that your pet calms down a little.

The operation is painful
Pets will experience some tenderness in the affected area immediately after the operation. Your veterinarian can advise you on caring for your pet after sterilisation. Most dogs bounce back very quickly.

Females should have one litter first
No. There is no benefit in letting your pet have a litter before it is spayed - it is actually better for her not to have a litter or a period of being on heat before being spayed. Think carefully before letting your female pet have a litter, as you are responsible for keeping the offspring until you find responsible owners for them.
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