Welcoming a pet into your home is rewarding and fun. Pets enrich our lives and provide us with a constant source of love and, often, amusement.

The following resources were provided to the SPCA of Tompkins County by Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC (Certified Animal Behavior Consultant) of Animal Alliances, LLC. We hope that they answer many of the questions you may have regarding adding a pet to your home and will help resolve any of your pet's behavior issues.

As always, please feel free to contac the SPCA with questions at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by calling (607) 257-1822.

Dogs

Dog socialization

Cats

• Bringing your new cat home
• Cats and their litter boxes
• Teaching your cat to use a scratching post
• Correcting unwanted behavior in your cat
• Cat urine marking and spraying
• Inappropriate elimination in cats
• Cat aggression
• Preparing your pet for the arrival of a new baby

Feral Cat Control

Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) is widely recognized as a humane and effective strategy for reducing feral  or free-roaming cat populations. TNR involves humanely trapping feral cats and transporting them to a veterinary clinic where they are spayed or neutered. This is also a good time for the cats to receive health checks, vaccinations, and treatment for routine medical conditions. After surgery and recuperation, the cats are returned to their colony or habitat. By reducing or eliminating mating, fighting, and wandering, TNR makes the colony more stable, preventing new litters and possibly preventing the influx of newcomers, while improving the health of the cats. If you reside in Tompkins County and would like to talk with us about the TNR program, please call (607) 257-1822 ext. 233 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 Spay/Neuter Information

Spay/neuter is an important part of caring for your pet. Here are a few of the benefits of spay/neuter:

1. It improves your pet's health, reducing or eliminating the risk of certain cancers, injuries and other illnesses.
2. A spayed or neutered pet is happier.
3. It reduces or eliminates spraying (marking objects with urine).
4. Spayed/neutered animals wander less and stay closer to home. As a result, they are less likely to be lost or hit by cars.
5. The majority of dog bites are caused by unneutered dogs.
6. Spay/neuter makes animals fight less, which means fewer bite wounds, abscesses, and infections.
7. Spay/neuter makes it easier to introduce new pets into your home.
8. Fewer unwanted puppies and kittens being born means the SPCA of Tompkins County can save more animals' lives.
9. Having your pet spayed or neutered teaches your children about responsible pet care.

The SPCA of Tompkins County spays or neuters all pets prior to adoption; there are also a variety of spay/neuter services available to the community

General Articles

• Animals Are Good For Your Health