The National Desexing Network (NDN) is a nationwide referral system for discounted desexing made available to pet owners in financial need. Our goal is to end pet overpopulation by making this service more affordable to those who might not otherwise be in a position to desex their pets.

Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world. Four out of five Australians have owned a pet at some time, and almost two-thirds of Australian households currently own pets. Despite these figures, many cats and dogs die every hour of every day in pounds and shelters nationwide. Due to the ongoing problem of pet overpopulation, particularly cats, due to the faster breeding rate, these healthy, loving animals are being killed because there are not enough homes available.

Established in 2004, NDN has three important programs:

  1. A nationwide network of more than around 160 participating veterinary clinics which to date has helped to desex around 250,000 cats and dogs nationwide.
  2. National Desexing Month, usually in July, when welfare organisations, veterinarians, pounds and councils are invited to participate by providing incentives and promoting desexing to encourage pet owners in their communities to desex their pets before the summer breeding season. NDN posts thought-provoking posters, fliers and social media banners to every vet clinic, Council and companion animal welfare organisation in Australia for display.
  3. Council Cooperative Desexing Programs in which Councils are encouraged to reduce intake into pounds and shelters and prevent roaming and unowned cats and dogs by contributing funding for desexing subsidies from their Animal Management budget.  NDN runs these program free of charge to make it easy and cost-effective for Councils. See information on how the Cooperative Desexing Program works and the Benefits to Councils here .

NDN is a charity program funded by Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) and members of the public who strongly believe in desexing. The beneficiaries of the program are Australia’s cats and dogs.

AWLQ also runs the national G2Z Program which supports Councils and shelter and rescue organisations and runs G2Z Summits to End Companion Animal Overpopulation every 2 years to share effective strategies and promote unified action to reduce the numbers of animals euthanised in Australia.

The NDN concept is based on SPAY/USA, a well established desexing network in the United States of America, which has facilitated hundreds of thousands of desexings, to help produce a significant drop in the numbers of pets euthanised annually.

BENEFITS OF DESEXING

There are many reasons why pet owners should desex their pets. As well as helping to stop pet overpopulation, the following are some of the other benefits associated with desexing cats and dogs.

Health

  • Reduced risk of getting cancer or other diseases of the reproductive organs, such as testicular cancer, prostate cancer/disorders in males, and cystic ovaries, ovarian tumors, acute uterine infections and breast cancer in females, and also other diseases like mammary cancer, perianal tumors and perianal hamias.
  • Females can suffer from physical and nutritional exhaustion if continually breeding.
  • Pets generally live longer and healthier lives.

Behavioural

  • Pets are less prone to wander, fight, and are less likely to get lost or injured.
  • Reduces territorial behaviour such as spraying indoors.
  • Less likely to suffer from anti-social behaviors. They become more affectionate and become better companions.
  • Eliminates “heat” cycles in female cats and their efforts to get outside in search for a mate.
  • Eliminates male dogs’ urge to “mount” people’s legs.

Cost

  • Reduces the cost to the community of having to care for unwanted puppies and kittens in pounds and shelters.
  • No additional food or vet bills for the offspring.
  • No need to find homes for unwanted or unexpected litters of puppies or kittens.
  • Save money from expensive surgeries from car accidents or fights, which are less likely to occur if your pet doesn’t roam around.
  • Dumping puppies and kittens is an ethical cost, as well as being illegal and inhumane.
  • The price of desexing is more affordable to those in financial need with the assistance of organisations such as NDN.
Download our NDN information flyer