SAN GABRIEL - If you want to do something for animal welfare in the San Gabriel Valley, the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society - which serves the city of Monterey Park - highly, highly recommends you get your dog and/or cat spayed or neutered.

(At left Pat Brayer, Humane Society. )

This is because an unsprayed dog or cat and their offspring over the course of six years can be responsible for more than 65,000 puppies or kittens. And who has enough homes for those, asked Pat Brayer, president of the board of directors for the humane society?

"What we really want is for every pet owner to have their animal spayed or neutered," Brayer said. "It's healthier for the animal. It gives them a better chance at a longer, healthier life. It eliminates a lot of the reproductive diseases an animal can experience."

But there is a more important reason, she said.

"But number one, it prevents homeless dogs and cats," Brayer said. "We often hear from people that they will find homes for those puppies and kittens. But they don't know what will happen to those puppies and kittens once they're gone."

Not to mention almost every season in such a big place as Southern California is always puppy and kitten season just about, she said.

"They come in all year round," Brayer said. "There are, however, two puppy seasons a year - spring and summer - and three kitten seasons a year - spring, summer and fall."

And with shelters overcrowded and budget cutbacks everywhere, the prognosis is not good for thousands of dogs and cats every year, Brayer said.

"If there are animals in shelters now that don't have homes, where will these future animals go?" Brayer asked.

The San Gabriel Valley Humane Society, which is in its 86th year of existence, serves three other cities in addition to Monterey Park: San Gabriel, Temple City and Azusa. It also provides animal control for these cities, in addition to adoptions.

But the humane society does more, Brayer said.

"Primarily, we provide shelter to homeless cats and dogs," she said. "We also do affordable spaying/neutering and vaccinations."

The San Gabriel Valley Humane Society is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. If you have any further questions or would like to inquire about volunteer opportunities, call (626) 286-1150 or log onto www.sgvhumane.org, where you can also view what animals are up for adoption.

(Photo and story by Shel Segal can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .)