Question 1

Why do you help animals and not people?

Accepted Answer

We help both — animals and people.
At every spay day, not a single dog or cat arrives on their own. Every animal is brought to us by a caring person who loves them and wants what is best for them. By helping dogs and cats, we are also supporting the people who care for them.
For many families in Namibia, pets are part of the family, even when money is scarce. By providing free sterilisation, vaccinations, and basic care, we reduce stress, prevent suffering, and help owners give their animals a healthier, safer life.
Healthier animals mean:
 • Fewer unwanted litters
 • Less disease
 • Safer communities
 • Less emotional and financial strain on families
Animal welfare and human wellbeing are deeply connected. When animals are cared for, communities are stronger and that’s why helping animals is helping people!

Question 2

How can I get involved? Do you need volunteers?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Volunteers are the heart of Have a Heart!

Have a Heart is entirely run by dedicated volunteers, and there are many ways to help, both during spay days and behind the scenes. Whether you can assist with logistics, administration, fundraising, community support, or awareness, your time and skills are valued.
Please note:
 • We are unfortunately unable to provide accommodation or payment for volunteers from inside or outside of Namibia.
 • Spay days are organised based on veterinary availability and often at short notice, which makes volunteer planning for just one spay day sometimes difficult, becoming a long-term volunteer and join our routine is the goal!

If you are interested in volunteering and supporting our work, please get in touch, we would love to hear from you.

Question 3

Why Should I Spay or Neuter?

Accepted Answer

Spaying and neutering is the most effective and humane way to prevent unwanted litters in dogs and cats. But there is much more:

It helps your pet live a healthier, happier, and often longer life, reduces the risk of certain diseases, and can improve behaviour. Most importantly, it prevents the cycle of overpopulation and suffering that leads to animals living on the streets or in overcrowded shelters.

By sterilising your pet, you are making a responsible, loving choice for your animal and for the wider community.

Question 4

When Can I Spay or Neuter My Pet?

Accepted Answer

Spaying or neutering can be done from around 8 weeks of age or once a pet weighs at least 2 kg.

Early sterilisation helps prevent unwanted litters and supports long-term health and wellbeing.

That said: it’s never too late. Adult and older dogs and cats can also be safely sterilised and benefit greatly from it. No matter their age, sterilisation helps reduce health risks, improves quality of life, and protects future generations of animals.

If you are unsure whether your pet is ready, we are always happy to guide you.

Question 5

What Are The Benefits of Spaying?

Accepted Answer

Spaying is one of the kindest and most responsible choices you can make for your dog or cat. It protects their health, improves their quality of life, and helps prevent animal suffering in the long term.
The benefits include:
 • Prevents unwanted litters
 Spaying is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and helps reduce the number of unwanted puppies and kittens.
 • Stops heat cycles
 Female pets will no longer go into heat, which can start as early as four months of age and occur frequently - especially in cats.
 • Improves behaviour and reduces stress
 Spaying helps prevent behaviours linked to heat, such as constant crying, restlessness, roaming, and attracting unwanted male animals.
 • Protects your pet’s health
 Spaying greatly reduces the risk of mammary (breast) cancer and completely prevents uterine infections and cancers, which can be life-threatening.
 • Saves lives - and money
 Preventing multiple litters reduces suffering, lowers veterinary costs over time, and helps communities cope with fewer stray animals.
Spaying doesn’t just change one life - it helps protect entire communities of animals.
 It is a simple act with a lifelong impact. 🐾

Question 6

What Are The Benefits Neutering?

Accepted Answer

Neutering is one of the most effective and responsible choices you can make for your male dog or cat. It improves health, behaviour, and helps prevent suffering before it starts.

Benefits of neutering your pet:
Prevents unwanted litters
 Neutering prevents male dogs and cats from fathering puppies or kittens, helping reduce the number of unwanted animals in our communities.

Reduces roaming and risk-taking
 Neutered males are less driven to roam in search of a mate, which significantly lowers the risk of fights, injuries, poisoning, traffic accidents, and disease transmission.

Improves behaviour
 Neutering helps reduce hormone-driven behaviours such as aggression, excessive marking, mounting, and restlessness. Many pets become calmer, more focused, and easier companions.

Promotes long-term health
 Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and reduces the likelihood of prostate-related diseases, supporting a longer, healthier life.

Saves lives – and resources
 By preventing unwanted litters, neutering saves lives and reduces the emotional and financial strain on families and animal welfare organisations.

Neutering is a simple, humane step that creates a healthier, safer future for your pet and for animals across Namibia.

Question 7

I Don’t Even Have A Pet. How Is This My Problem?

Accepted Answer

Because this issue doesn’t stop at the fence of a pet owner.

Uncontrolled dog and cat populations affect everyone, whether you own an animal or not. Stray and unwanted animals impact public health, community safety, wildlife, and shared resources.

When animals are not sterilised, the consequences ripple outward:
 • Public health risks increase, including rabies and other zoonotic diseases
 • Road accidents involving animals put people at risk
 • Wildlife and livestock are injured or killed
 • Taxpayer money is spent managing problems that could have been prevented
 • Children are exposed to animal suffering and violence, which has proven long-term psychological effects and can even end in depression or violent behavior.

In Namibia, countless dogs and cats are not homeless because they are unloved  but because their owners lack access to affordable veterinary care. This is a systems problem, not an individual failure.

Preventive care like spaying and neutering is far cheaper, kinder, and more effective than dealing with the consequences later. Every sterilisation prevents suffering before it starts.

You don’t need to own a pet to care about:
 • safer communities
 • healthier environments
 • compassion for living beings
 • responsible use of shared resources

Supporting sterilisation is not “helping animals instead of people”, it helps both.

When animals suffer less, communities are safer, healthier, and more humane.

That’s why this is everyone’s problem and why it’s also everyone’s opportunity to be part of the solution!

Question 8

Shouldn’t a Female Dog or Cat Have One Litter, or at Least One Heat Cycle, Before Being Spayed?

Accepted Answer

To the contrary, a dog or cat has the best chance of good health if  spayed before her first heat. Early spaying reduces the risk of mammary  tumors and prevents other health problems, such as life-threatening  uterine infections, before aging brings greater susceptibility.

Question 9

Won’t My Neutered Male Feel Less Manly?

Accepted Answer

In a pet's world, there's no concept of sexual identity or ego. Their biology and behavior evolved in the wild to ensure survival by producing as many offspring as possible. However, in today's world, this approach would lead to an increase in unwanted pets, contributing to unnecessary euthanizations in shelters.

By spaying and neutering our pets, we can be responsible guardians, preventing overpopulation and giving every pet the chance for a loving home. Let's work together to create a better future for our furry friends!

Question 10

Don’t Animal Shelters Take Care Of Surplus Animals?

Accepted Answer

No. Shelters do their best to place  animals in loving homes. Despite their efforts, many healthy and  adoptable animals are euthanized.

Question 11

My One Cat Or Dog Can’t Make That Much Of A Difference, Can It?

Accepted Answer

By fixing your one pet you can help save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. You may find homes for your pet's  entire litter, but each home you find means one less home for homeless  animals in shelters facing euthanasia.

Question 12

Isn't having a litter a great way for my children to experience the miracle of birth?

Accepted Answer

No need to let your pet have a litter—thousands of rescue and shelter  organizations help abandoned animals, many of them pregnant. Volunteer  to foster a pregnant dog or cat! You'll support the rescue and the  animals, while giving your children a unique experience of seeing a  litter being born and raised. Be part of a meaningful journey and make a  difference for these precious creatures!