Is Animal Neutering Ethical
Introduction
Neutering is a surgical procedure that is done to remove an animal’s testicles to prevent its ability to reproduce. The practice has raised debate because of its impact on animals. Those supporting it argue that animals have a right to be protected from unnecessary harm, including cruel treatment and suffering that may arise from overpopulation and limited access to resources. They also argue that animals’ welfare should be protected and taken seriously. Therefore, they perceive neutering as a necessary harm aimed at safeguarding the welfare of companion animals. Those against it argue that animals should not be viewed as property. They perceive neutering as an unethical practice aimed at serving the interests of human beings who want to control the population of their domesticated animals. The two arguments have raised concerns on whether neutering is morally right and ethical, leading to uncertainty on whether it should be abolished because it is unethical or because of its negative impact on an animal’s health and welfare.
Key Issues
Neutering can be viewed through an ethical, regulatory, and legal lens. The ethical lens includes the respect principle, worse-off principle, and utilitarianism. According to Losoncy (2019), the respect principle posits that humans have two moral requirements. The first requirement is acknowledging autonomy, and the second is protecting those with limited autonomy. It also asserts that every being with inherent value should be respected. Therefore, human beings have a moral duty to respect and protect animals. Therefore, neutering violates the respect principle because it gives human beings the power to dictate the animal’s value and use the animal for personal benefit. For example, people may sterilize cats to maintain the bond between them and the cat as a companion animal. In such instances, the cat is denied the freedom to reproduce at the expense of the owner’s convenience. Neutering also gives human beings the power to treat animals as resources whose existence is dictated by human beings. For example, human beings control animal populations through neutering, thus giving them the power to determine whether a specific species should be extinct. This violates the respect principle by limiting the autonomy of animals and failing to acknowledge it.
The worse-off principle posits that humans should always choose to prevent suffering even though it requires subjecting others to light suffering. The worse-off principle may support neutering because it protects humans from the negative impact of animal overpopulation. The main threat that overpopulation could cause to humans is competition for resources, which could lead to animal attacks. Therefore, it is acceptable to subject animals to light suffering encountered during neutering to prevent greater suffering that could arise if their population is unregulated. According to Palmer et al. (2012), neutering creates some pain that is not severe or long-lasting. In most cases, anesthetics and painkillers reduce the suffering, thus protecting the animal from too much harm. However, it is essential to acknowledge that the procedure is unpleasant, thus minimizing the good in the procedure. Therefore, neutering would still be unethical under the consequentialist view because of the procedure’s negative impact on animals.
Neutering under the legal and regulatory lens includes considering various laws and regulations implemented in different countries to control it. For example, neutering dogs was prohibited by the former Animal Protection Act in Norway based on medical conditions affecting the testicles or ovaries and accessory sex glands (Farstad, 2021). The Animal Protection Act found that certain medical conditions would increase the need for neutering because they could not be prevented through other approaches. However, neutering was only allowed when the animal had a reproduction medical condition. The neutering of dogs is still prohibited under the new Animal Welfare Act. The American Veterinary Medical Association encourages cat and dog owners to neuter their companion animals (Corr et al., 2017).In Europe, veterinarians have been reluctant to support neutering. Neutering was also illegal in Sweden until 1988, when it was approved for animals with a medical condition (Corr et al., 2017).In 2011, the part of the Swedish Veterinary Association in charge of companion animals banned the routine surgical neutering of dogs.
The uncertainty on whether neutering should be abolished persists because of the difficulty in deciding whether the practice only favors human beings’ interests. The issue is problematic when viewed through the ethical lens because it includes infringing on some animal rights, such as the right to be protected from harm. Therefore, the arguments made using the animal rights viewpoint make it hard for regulators to pass laws supporting neutering because regulators must agree with animal rights activists on laws and regulations that could affect animals. The benefits animals get from neutering are also uncertain, thus making it hard to determine whether it should be abolished. The suffering animals undergo during neutering also complicates deciding whether neutering should be abolished. The procedure involves the stress of being left in an unfamiliar setting with strangers, surgical trauma, undergoing anesthesia, and the pain felt after the surgical procedure (Palmer et al., 2012). The surgery may also cause inflammation, affecting the animal’s movement. Therefore, it is vital to consider the side effects of neutering when deciding whether to abolish it to protect the welfare of animals undergoing the procedure.
Recommendations
The peaceful coexistence between animals and humans relies on a proper balance in their population. Therefore, it is crucial to consider alternative population control measures besides neutering. One of the recommendations that I would make is non-surgical contraception. According to Brent (2021), non-surgical contraception effectively controls the population of cats by temporarily stopping reproduction. The contraception is administered orally and can be purchased from a compounding pharmacy. The most common contraception is Megestrol acetate, which American veterinarians prescribe to treat different conditions for female and male cats and prevent pregnancy in female cats. However, the FDA has not yet approved the drug for fertility control in female cats (Brent, 2021). It is also essential to follow the instructions on dosage to increase its effectiveness. I would also recommend the non-surgical sterilization of small animals, cats, and dogs. Calcium chloride dehydrate solution is one of the most effective non-surgical sterilization remedies (Brent, 2021). The solution is a chemical administered through an injection to prevent reproduction. It can be purchased from a compounding pharmacy or on-site pre-measured doses. Therefore, it can be administered at home in an environment familiar to the animal to limit stress.
I would also recommend using Zinc gluconate to regulate reproduction in dogs. According to Rafatmah et al. (2019), Zinc gluconate is the first non-surgical permanent sterilization method for companion animals. It is currently used in the United States to sterilize puppies between 3 and 10 months, but it can also be used for adult cats and dogs. Its main impact on the animal’s body is reducing testosterone levels. It can be administered without anesthesia, thus making it more favorable in reducing animals’ suffering during sterilization procedures. It is also economical and can be acquired easily. However, an animal’s health has to be monitored regularly after receiving the Zinc Gluconate injection to identify signs of scrotal ulcers, which is the main side effect of the procedure. It is also essential to try out any other medication veterinarians could recommend to control reproduction based on an animal’s health history, age, and environment.
Conclusion
Sterilizing animals is essential in population control and reducing the population of stray animals. Ensuring every animal receives the proper care, including protection from harm, is vital. Neutering is a common practice embraced in many countries to prevent the overpopulation of companion animals. Although the practice has been effective in maintaining a proper balance in the population of companion animals, it has raised concerns because of the pain and suffering it inflicts on the animals and other negative impacts of the procedure, such as inflammation and prolonged pain. Neutering has also raised concerns because it mainly focuses on meeting the animal owners’ needs over the animals’ needs because the animals are denied the opportunity to reproduce while their owners enjoy their company. Therefore, there is a need to comprehensively review the costs and benefits of neutering to determine whether it should be abolished. In the meantime, alternative population control approaches such as non-surgical contraception, non-surgical sterilization, and medication such as Zinc gluconate should be used.
References
Brent, L. (2021, November 9). It is time to consider alternatives to surgical spay and neuter. Parsemus Foundation. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.parsemus.org/2020/04/time-to-consider-alternatives-to-surgical-spay-and-neuter/
Corr, S., Sandǿe, P., & Pafmer, C. (2017). Unwanted desires – effects of Neutering – ethics, welfare, and Qol Aspects – WSAVA 2017 Congress – Vin. Powered By VIN. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?pId=20539&catId=113428&id=8506316
Farstad, W. (2021, October 6). Canine Neutering: Legal aspects. Veterinary Practice. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/canine-neutering-legal-aspects
Losoncy, L. E. (2019). The Respect Principle. Best Team Skills, 77–90. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315138190-5
Palmer, C., Corr, S., & Sandøe, P. (2012). Inconvenient desires: Should we routinely neuter companion animals? Anthrozoös, 25(sup1). https://doi.org/10.2752/175303712×13353430377255
Rafatmah, D., Mogheiseh, A., & Eshghi, D. (2019). Chemical sterilization with intratesticular administration of zinc gluconate in adult dogs: A preliminary report. Basic and Clinical Andrology, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12610-019-0092-8
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Question 
Is Animal Neutering Ethical
You should select a business ethics issue that has occurred or might occur in a veterinary practice and analyze the issue and potential decisions/solutions using the concepts introduced in your textbook. You might pick one of the following:
■ A situation currently in the news
■ An ethical dilemma witnessed in a veterinary practice either as an employee or a client. A high-quality hypothetical business ethics issue in a veterinary practice (either one you’ve seen in books or film or one you create)
Be sure to choose an example for analysis that seems interesting, difficult, or complicated.
Project Process
Step 1: Select an example for your analysis as outlined above.
Step 2: Perform your analysis. Apply the recommended high-quality, ethical decision-making process described in your course book. You’ll want to consider the facts of the situation, the ethical lenses, legal, regulatory, and any other more specific lenses that might be applicable. Describe how the key concepts apply, and explain why the decision is complicated. Recommend the course of action you believe is ‘best’ considering all the relevant considerations.
Your textbook should be your primary reference. Your paper may also include independent and reliable sources (many of which you might access from your textbook’s chapter notes). You should feel free to consult sources on the Internet. However, always make sure your work is original and well-documented. Notes from a website should include the source of the site. This is done to establish that the site is authoritative and not merely idle opinion. Use APA style for citations and the Works Cited page. For information on APA format, see the Library.
Step 3: Write the first draft of your essay. Your paper should be written using a word-processing program like Microsoft Word or a Word-compatible program. Your analysis should be five to eight written pages. The essay should include a brief introduction, several paragraphs examining the key issues, your recommended course of action, and a conclusion acknowledging arguments for and against your recommended decision. (Recommendation: Finish your first draft several days before finalizing your paper. It’s best to set it aside for a few days before moving on to the completion.)
Step 4: Complete your final draft. Carefully review your essay, correct errors, and submit your final draft to your instructor. (Recommendation: Read your essay out loud to yourself. Doing this will help inform you of gaps, redundancies, and areas where the writing should be improved.) Include a title page and a bibliography of sources. The last page after the essay’s main body should list your reference sources.