Having your pet spayed or neutered will not only help solve the pet overpopulation problem it will mean...

• A longer, healthier life for your pet: Older female dogs and cats are quite susceptible to reproductive tract infections and disorders, which simply do not occur in spayed females. An unsterilized female dog or cat has a 14 times greater chance of developing mammary cancer than she would have had she been spayed.

• No heat periods: A female in heat must be closely watched for her entire heat period. In dogs, this is approximately 21 days, every six months. In cats, it is highly variable and virtually unpredictable. Males of the species tend to congregate around the doors of houses where females in heat reside. Fights can break out among them, and this can disturb your neighbours.

• No litters: Taking care of a litter of puppies or kittens is a large responsibility, and is both costly and time-consuming.

• A more manageable pet: A neutered male dog or cat is considerably less aggressive than an unsterilized male, and therefore, less subject to injury.

• No "spraying" tomcats: Since the territorial instinct is reduced in neutered males, they no longer want to mark out an area as their own.

• A better urban environment: Eliminating the surplus of stray and unwanted animals will lead naturally to fewer animal-related problems.

Many thanks to the thirteen volunteers who came out on a snowy, blustery morning last Saturday to build 31 shelters - just two short of our record. We now have a stock of 69 shelters in a variety of sizes. Colony caretakers whose cats need shelters are invited to visit http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/tnr_shelter_request.htm and submit the application for a shelter(s).

Shelter-building dates for the future are:

Saturday, February 25th
Saturday, March 10th
Saturday, March 24th
Sunday, April 29th

To join us please e-mail us at tnrths@gmail.com.

Click here for do-it-yourself instructions on how to build a heated water bowl for feral colony cats.

New Shelter adoption hours are:
11 River Street
Monday to Friday - 11am to 7pm
Saturday and Sunday - 10 am to 6pm
416-392-2273

2802 Victoria Park
Monday to Sunday - 10am to 6pm
416-392-2273